The New Whippoorwill Song

If you grew up in an evangelical Sunday School, you may remember singing Jesus Loves Me and then singing Jesus Loves Me - “the new way”. The “new way” had a different tune and a few new words.

Every now and then, a popular evangelical song pops into my head that causes me to think to myself…”that needs some new words.”

We are in a very man-centered religious culture that likes to think of God in a way that man prefers. Man prefers a God who is more like himself than the God who said: “I am that I am”. Man by nature (sinful and rebellious) would prefer to bring some sort of acceptable sacrifice to God as Cain tried and failed. As Cain, man does not see his case as completely hopeless and worthy of death. At that point, the only hope for man is a substitute provided by God alone (the animal slain and coverings made for Adam and Eve, the lamb sacrificed by Abel, the lamb of God - Jesus).

Popular evangelical songs often reflect a man-centered view of God and salvation in such subtle ways. It is important to compare them with scripture. The danger in these songs is that the subtle doctrines of wolves are sneaked in to steal and to kill by turning men ever so slightly away from Christ the lamb of God as God’s provision for the salvation of His sheep. God’s rescue of man’s soul is to the praise of the glory of His grace alone.

Often, evangelical songs contain a theme which seems to say, “to the praise of the glory of my choice”, rather than “to the praise of the glory of His grace”. One such song that became popular among a certain sect of evangelicals is called “The Whippoorwill Song”. It is hard for me to read the words and even harder for me to type them here because of the blatant adding to scripture and twisting of scripture that is prevalent in the song. But it is popular and bolsters a subtle twist on the gospel that I think is deadly, steals from God His glory, and makes man to be in charge. In my opinion, it must be called heretical, and I hope to help those deceived by its lies see the truth of scripture and the glory of God in His salvation.

Here are the words:

Verse 1:

I set the boundaries of the ocean vast, (Ps 74)

Carved out the mountains from the distant past, (Job 28)

Molded a man from the miry clay, (Gen 2:7)

Breathed in him life, but he went astray. (Gen 3)

Chorus:

I own the cattle on a thousand hills; (Ps 50)

I write the music for the whippoorwills,

Control the planets with their rocks and rills,

But give you freedom to use your own will. (Man’s philosophy to excuse God for damning men)

Verse 2:

I hold the waters in my might hand, (Is 40)

Spread out the heavens with a single span, (Is 40)

Make all creation tremble at my voice, (Ps 18)

But my own sons come to Me by choice. (Pelagius, Erasmus, Arminius, Finney, Graham)

Chorus:

I own the cattle on a thousand hills;

I write the music for the whippoorwills,

Control the planets with their rocks and rills,

But give you freedom to use your own will. (Pelagius, Erasmus, Arminius, Finney, Graham)

Verse 3:

Even the oxen know the Master's stall, (Is 1)

And sheep will recognize the shepherd's call (John 10)

I could demand your love – I own you twice: (Pelagius, Erasmus, Arminius, Finney, Graham)

But only willing love is worth the price. (Pelagius, Erasmus, Arminius, Finney, Graham)

Coda:

And if you want me to, I'll make you whole; (Pelagius, Erasmus, Arminius, Finney, Graham)

I'll only do it though if you say so.

I'll never force you for I love you so;

I give you freedom; is it yes or no? (Man always says no - there is none that seeks after God)

I give you freedom; is it yes or no?

I give you freedom; is it yes or no?

It pains me greatly to type the words to the Coda. A little research on Pelagianism or Martin Luther vs. Erasmus, or the Synod of Dort will open your eyes to the battle against this heresy that has been fought many times. The Coda is an affront to God’s sovereignty!

Here is “The Whippoorwill Song - The New Way”. I hope you will take time to search the scriptures and see which is true. One way subtly glorifies man and makes salvation “synergistic” (look it up). The other way glorifies God alone and keeps salvation “monergistic” (look it up). I trust that my post here and “new” words will not just feel polemical but will ultimately lead to the help of those who struggle with assurance of salvation because they are looking to a “decision” they made rather than to Christ, the lamb of God.

Here is the “new” version:

Verse 1 (I kept it the same – the only fully Biblical verse of the original):

I set the boundaries of the ocean vast, (Ps 74)

Carved out the mountains fro the distant past, (Job 28)

Molded a man from the miry clay (Gen 2:7)

Breathed in him life, but he went astray (Gen 3)

Chorus:

I own the cattle on a thousand hills (Ps 50)

You twist my words, and your lies – they kill, (Ps 50)

Your only thoughts are to rob and steal (Gen 6, Rom 1, Jer 17)

My sheep hear my voice and come they will (John 10)

Verse 2:

I hold the waters in my mighty hand, (Is 40)

Spread out the heavens with a single span, (Is 40)

Make all creation tremble at my noise, (Ps 18)

My sheep will come when they hear my voice. (John 10)

Chorus:

I own the cattle on a thousand hills (Ps 50)

You twist my words, and your lies – they kill, (Ps 50)

Your only thoughts are to rob and steal (Gen 6, Rom 1, Jer 17)

My sheep hear my voice and come they will (John 10)

Verse 3:

Even the oxen know the Master's stall, (Is 1)

And sheep will recognize the shepherd's call (John 10)

You will not come though you have a choice (John 10)

Your will is bound, you'll not hear my voice (John 10, John 6)

Coda:

For my own name's sake, I will make you whole (Genesis 3:15 and following...through Revelation)

For by grace, life is given so,

That God be praised and all may know

I gave you freedom, though you said no

I gave you freedom, though you said no

I gave you freedom, though you said no

That Only 300 Should Boast

The Lord said to Gideon, “The people who are with you are too many for Me to give Midian into their hands, for Israel would become boastful, saying, ‘My own power has delivered me.’ Now therefore come, proclaim in the hearing of the people, saying, ‘Whoever is afraid and trembling, let him return and depart from Mount Gilead.’” So 22,000 people returned, but 10,000 remained.

— Judges 7:2-3

Then the Lord said to Gideon, “The people are still too many; bring them down to the water and I will test them for you there. Therefore it shall be that he of whom I say to you, ‘This one shall go with you,’ he shall go with you; but everyone of whom I say to you, ‘This one shall not go with you,’ he shall not go.” So he brought the people down to the water. And the Lord said to Gideon, “You shall separate everyone who laps the water with his tongue as a dog laps, as well as everyone who kneels to drink.” Now the number of those who lapped, putting their hand to their mouth, was 300 men; but all the rest of the people kneeled to drink water. The Lord said to Gideon, “I will deliver you with the 300 men who lapped and will give the Midianites into your hands; so let all the other people go, each man to his home.”

— Judges 7:4-7

When they blew 300 trumpets, the Lord set the sword of one against another even throughout the whole army; and the army fled as far as Beth-shittah toward Zererah, as far as the edge of Abel-meholah, by Tabbath.

— Judges 7:22

And you were dead in your trespasses and sins, in which you formerly walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, of the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience. Among them we too all formerly lived in the lusts of our flesh, indulging the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest. But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.

— Ephesians 2:1-9

I have often heard the story of Gideon preached in such a way as to lift up the men in the first passage I referenced who were not afraid. Then after the Lord whittled that group of 10,000 down to only 300 men, I have heard those men lifted up as the ones that God chose BECAUSE they had drunk the water in such a way as to demonstrate that they were choosable. 

Let it be known that if you have heard or interpreted that story in such a way, you have missed the point altogether - not only of the story but of the true gospel. The Lord here as in every OT story is keeping his promise in Genesis 3:15 that the seed of the woman would one day deliver the winning blow to Satan and his seed. This particular story highlights God rescuing more His chosen right out of the mire of their idolatry by His own power and for His own glory and he specifically said that Israel would not become "boastful". 

Yet, most evangelicals do with it just as the men of Israel did after the victory… They want just a little glory for man… just a little...perhaps their free will in not being afraid and then in drinking the water in a certain way was to be credited. For here is what they said to Gideon after the victory had been won:

Then the men of Israel said to Gideon, “Rule over us, both you and your son, also your son’s son, for you have delivered us from the hand of Midian.” But Gideon said to them, “I will not rule over you, nor shall my son rule over you; the Lord shall rule over you.”

— Judges 8:22-23

Man just wants a little credit. After all, didn't HE CHOOSE to OBEY? (Had they forgotten WHO appeared to Gideon while he was threshing wheat dead in traspasses and sins?) What a man that Gideon! Where did that boastful attitude and where does that boastful attitude lead? 

Yet Gideon said to them, “I would request of you, that each of you give me an earring from his spoil.” (For they had gold earrings, because they were Ishmaelites.) They said, “We will surely give them.” So they spread out a garment, and every one of them threw an earring there from his spoil. The weight of the gold earrings that he requested was 1,700 shekels of gold, besides the crescent ornaments and the pendants and the purple robes which were on the kings of Midian, and besides the neck bands that were on their camels’ necks. Gideon made it into an ephod, and placed it in his city, Ophrah, and all Israel played the harlot with it there, so that it became a snare to Gideon and his household.

— Judges 8:24-27

Now Gideon had seventy sons who were his direct descendants, for he had many wives. His concubine who was in Shechem also bore him a son, and he named him Abimelech.

— Judges 8:30-31

Then it came about, as soon as Gideon was dead, that the sons of Israel again played the harlot with the Baals, and made Baal-berith their god. Thus the sons of Israel did not remember the Lord their God, who had delivered them from the hands of all their enemies on every side; nor did they show kindness to the household of Jerubbaal (that is, Gideon) in accord with all the good that he had done to Israel.

— Judges 8:33-35

If my concern for America today is related to an earthly kingdom and I am looking for a man, a movement, an earthly deliverer to save us (if even in the name of God and Christianity), I am missing the point of the true gospel demonstrated in Genesis and all through the Old Testament. I am ignorant of the salvation of God being all of God, all of grace, and all for his glory - that no man may boast (not even the 300). 

Gideon and his deliverance points us to the Savior, the ultimate deliverer who came to save His people from their sins. The judgment we are experiencing today is because we again have forgotten God who saved us from our sins and our idolatry and immorality and have thought subtly that our own American free-will brought about the blessings we enjoyed and ultimately worshipped. 

Let us turn again to our God to deliver us from our sin...OUR SIN! American Christians have played the harlot with the riches we have been given just as Israel did with the Ephod. We boast in our religious pride while blind to our idols. Our religion is “Your Best Life Now”. Turn us O Lord to the true deliverer of the Israel of God, the Lord Jesus Christ, the Lamb who was slain before the foundation of the world, and the only one who is ever worthy of power, riches, wisdom, might, honor, glory and blessing! 

Nudge Not The Hand

I write this morning for my benefit, and if God wills for my children or grandchildren someday. If somehow it is helpful to the one and a half people who read my blog, then that will be an added benefit, I suppose.

What the Spirit of God has urgently impressed upon me this morning is something that I want to put down and return to frequently because I am so weak in remembering things that I ought to remember.

Recently I have been like a child learning from his father to ride a bike, or I have been like a hard-headed child learning to ride a bike. Imagine the father of this child first looking through his picture window at his son crashing and burning time and again. His son is bleeding and bruised and finally frustrated. The father had asked his son several times if he would like some help, but his son had refused each time. But, the father had sensed that his son was about to quit. He sneaked up behind his battered son and gently took hold of the seat of the bike as the son pedaled down the street. The son looked back and smiled from ear to ear as he realized how fun it was to ride a bike and how much his father loved him. Up and down the drive they go with the son smiling from ear to ear.

After a few trips, the boy’s pride once again grips him; he reaches back and gently nudges his father’s hand away. Without saying the words, he is saying to his Father, “I can do it by myself.” 

The patient father releases his grip but compassionately stays right behind. The little boy begins leaning; his front wheel begins to jerk back and forth; he does not even notice that he is heading for a deep ditch. The father again takes the back of the seat, rescuing his son from an inevitable disaster. This time, the son remembers. While yet hard-headed and far from becoming an expert cyclist, he has at least begun to learn the need he has of his father. He is little aware of the injury that awaited him if his loving father had not been there for the rescue.

This illustration breaks down if carried out, for though this little boy may learn to ride a bike without the instruction of his father, I will never be able to walk through this life without the instruction of and obedience to my heavenly Father.

The Lord has been gracious over the past few years to teach me that my sonship had nothing to do with my choice. I love Him because he first loved me. Learning that salvation has been all of grace, all of God, and all for His glory has been humbling and assuring.

Now, assured of my sonship by His word, rather than my performance as a redeemed son, I am often like a hard-headed child, nudging my Father’s hand from my life and by this saying, “I can do it by myself.”

All of Paul and Peter’s epistles first lay the foundation of our sonship as being a work of God alone for His glory alone:

“...to all who are beloved of God...called as saints…” (Romans 1:7) 

“to those who have been sanctified in Christ Jesus, saints by calling…” (I Corinthians 1:2)

“...who gave Himself for our sins so that He might rescue us from this present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father, to whom be the glory forevermore. Amen.” (Galatians 1:4-5)

“But when the fullness of the time came, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the Law, so that He might redeem those who were under the Law, that we might receive the adoption as sons. Because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying “Abba! Father! Therefore you are no longer a slave, but a son; and if a son, then an heir through God.” (Galatians 4:4-7).

“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, just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him. In love He predestined us to the adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, which He freely bestowed on us in the Beloved.” (Ephesians 1:3-6)

“For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 1:6)

“For He rescued us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.” (Colossians 1:13-14)

“And although you were formerly alienated and hostile in mind, engaged in evil deeds, yet He has now reconciled you in His fleshly body through death, in order to present you before Him holy and blameless and beyond reproach” (Colossians 1:21-22)

“We give thanks to God always for all of you, making mention of you in our prayers; constantly bearing in mind your work of faith and labor of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ in the presence of our God and Father, knowing, brethren beloved by God, His choice of you; for our gospel did not come to you in word only, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction…” (I Thessalonians 1:2-5)

“Peter...to those...who are chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, by the sanctifying work of the Spirit, to obey Jesus Christ and be sprinkled with His blood: May grace and peace be yours in the fullest measure. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead…” (I Peter 1:1-3)

“To those who have received a faith of the same kind as ours, by the righteousness of our God and Savior, Jesus Christ: Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord; seeing that His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence,” (2 Peter 1:1-3)

So now, after this much-needed refresher on who has rescued me from inevitable disaster, I thrust myself into His arms to keep me safe. He has given me His Spirit, who He jealously desires to dwell in me (James 4). 

Once, an uneducated man who was without much education in the Bible, and had grown up in a criminal environment, said to me: “I think the most important verse for a Christian must be ‘quench not the Spirit.’” That stuck with me. I think he was on to something.

The peace that the Lord gives by the forgiveness of sin is corrupted when our life is full of ease and comfort, and material blessing. We think we are riding along just fine, and before we know it, and we nudge the Spirit away with little compromises. Perhaps God has not called us to yield all of our bodies as a living sacrifice. Maybe we CAN serve God and money. Maybe these little idols of mindless entertainment, earthly kingdom-mindedness, and idle words and meditations are not hindrances to my calling as a Son.

But God has warned us in many places to be sober, vigilant, ready, walking worthy, running, holy, free of idols, suffering, loving, and living as seated in heavenly places. Yet, as our adoption as sons was wrought by His power, so will be our obedience as sons.

Without even a backward glance, I so often nudge the hand of the Father (the indwelling Spirit) from my life. I begin to lean, but my childish ignorance does not notice; my wheel jerks back and forth, but I smile in my selfish indulgence; I do no see the ditch lurking, but my loving heavenly father gently takes hold with a kind smile, for He has given His life for me. He will never let me go. I have heard His voice.

Clothed Not Crushed (Birthday Thoughts)

Today is my 42nd birthday. Just saying those words highlights that indeed as the Scriptures say life is like a vapor that appears and then vanishes, and all flesh is like grass - beautiful today but gone tomorrow.

I wanted to put thoughts on paper today that I could share in return for the kind words and wishes that my friends and family send to me today. Those who write me well-wishes today for the most part see me as a good guy worthy in some way of at least some sort of praise and at least one special day of spoiling and pampering. I appreciate that and am grateful that I even have such a thing as friends and family who love me and care to let me know that they are thinking of me and that they appreciate me. But my desire here is to turn their thoughts as much as possible away from me and away from themselves and to think rather on the great love of God and the indescribable mercies of God given to us freely through the shedding of the blood of His Son the Lord Jesus - my master to whom I am joyfully enslaved.

That said, I think one of the best ways to do this is to highlight first the wretchedness of the man to whom you are wishing well and to some degree praising. Now, if I were to do so in a very specific way such as to lay out before you all of my specific disobediences, lusts, prideful thoughts, angry thoughts, better than you thoughts, and outright breaking of God’s laws from just this 41st year of my life, you would not be so anxious to send such warm wishes next year. You would wonder “how could God love such a sinner, and is it right for me to do so?” Because you do love me and because you have seen the grace of God at work in my life you would be conflicted as you are when you read of Noah’s drunkeness after God saved Him from His wrathful judgment upon the earth, or Abraham’s lies to save his own skin even over the molestation of his own wife, or Jacob’s lies and deceit, or Lot’s (dare I even type it out), or David’s adultery and murder, or Peter’s denial and cursing of the one who had said “follow me”. You would be tempted to put out of your mind that you know those things about me and would try to focus on the good that you know about me.

If this is how you would react to my listing of my true wretchedness, then perhaps you need either a reminder of or maybe even a beginner lesson in the great salvation of God and how much He is to be praised for His rescue of sinners. As shocked as you would be to know the hidden evils of my heart, it may be that our reaction to such news that the description of man in Romans 1 is actually true in the lives of those we know shows that we actually have a light view of sin. We still think that it can be erased by balancing the scales with more good than bad. We think that the outward is more important than the inward and we say to each other subtly…”we aren’t that bad”, or “look over here at this good thing that I have done”, or “look at the changes in my life”. Rather I say to you that the sins of the Bible men I mentioned are as evil in the sight of the Lord as they have ever been and when our imagination begins to deal with their sin by seeing if their obedience and good works outweighed their disobedience, we are ignorant of the gospel. In the same way when today you feel even a bit uncomfortable with me ( a good guy in your mind) telling you - no, I’m not and in fact I’m not in many of the same terrible ways that those men were not.

Yesterday I read in the letters of John Newton (the author of Amazing Grace) a response to a friend who was concerned about certain Bible passages that are difficult to understand fully but seem to imply that perhaps even the sins of believers will be exposed at the judgment seat. While Newton did not give a firm exposition of the passage, instead admitting that they were difficult to understand, he did comfort his friend by writing that perhaps if this is indeed to be the case then it must be that the glory of God in His salvation of only sinners will be the great highlight of that day by reminding sinners the sinfulness of their sin and the greatness of His salvation.

So, if I’ve made you wonder - how bad is this guy that I am wishing happy birthday to? Well, yes whatever your imagination might come up with - it’s worse. While I am not a criminal in respect to the laws of earth (by God’s grace only), I have broken every one of God’s commandments in some way. I will break more. Does God overlook them? Did God overlook the idol worship, adultery, murder, deceit, and denial of the men of the Bible whom Sunday School teachers have taught us were heroes? Absolutely not. In fact, He hates sin with a deadly hatred. It cannot be overlooked. The criminal cannot tell the judge that he’s sorry and he will not do it again. These crimes against the Creator can only be paid for with a dreadful price. That price is the shedding of blood. Without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sin.

So who is this man that you praise if even just a little? He was born a son of Adam - a rebel agaist God, dead in his sins and lawbreaking, awaiting the just wrath of God. But God in His great mercy promised on that day that there would be a seed of the woman who would crush the deceiver Satan. He had promised death for disobedience but rather than crush Adam and Eve with the death deserved, He demonstrated His wrath at sin by shedding the blood of an innocent animal and clothing the shame of Adam and Eve in the skin of that innocent animal ultimately as a demonstration of His final salvation by sending His own son the Lord Jesus (as that innocent lamb) to bear upon His own body the wrath of God at sin. All of my wretchedness at which I have left you only guessing deserved a million times over the deadly wrath of God. I did not deserve to have a 2nd birthday, much less a 42nd birthday. “But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved.) and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.” (Ephesians 2:4-10).

So as you congratulate me on another birthday, let it be known that I am His workmanship. I am clothed in a righteousness not my own. Jesus was crushed by the wrath of God and He rose from the dead giving my life by His Spirit. Nothing in my hands I bring, simply to the cross I cling. I hide myself in Him. Just as God brought Noah into the ark to save Him from His wrath, He has brought me into Christ. I am safe in Him. He has made me a new creature that hates my sin, confesses my sin, wars with my sin, and longs to be with Him where I will be like Him for I will see Him as He is.

Thank you my friend and those who love me for your warm birthday wishes. Let what very little of Christ has been at so few times been demonstrated in me point you not to a good man, but to the Savior of men - the Lord Jesus Christ. If you are not yet reconciled to God, you never can be without it being all of God and all of grace. Believe on the Lord Jesus today, look on His wonderful face , the lamb of God. For He was made sin for us who knew no sin that we might be the righteousness of God in Him. Are you safe from the wrath of God by being in Christ or are you still trying to bring your own offering?

To the praise of the glory of His grace I write these things today. I can’t wait to be with Him at His feet saying loudly “worthy is the lamb who was slain”!

Rusty Thomas On the Coronavirus

http://www.operationsaveamerica.org/2020/03/21/what-does-the-corona-virus-reveal/

Come Ye Sinners

For those who are beginning to feel a fear of God as we face uncertain days, I offer the words of an old hymn…

Come, ye sinners, poor and wretched,
Weak and wounded, sick and sore;
Jesus ready stands to save you,
Full of pity joined with pow'r:
He is able,
He is able,
He is able,
He is willing; doubt no more.

Come, ye needy, come and welcome,
God's free bounty glorify;
True belief and true repentance,
Ev'ry grace that brings you nigh,
Without money,
Without money,
Without money,
Come to Jesus Christ and buy.

Come, ye weary, heavy laden,
Bruised and broken by the fall;
If you tarry till you're better,
You will never come at all:
Not the righteous,
Not the righteous,
Not the righteous,
Sinners Jesus came to call.

Let not conscience make you linger,
Nor of fitness fondly dream;
All the fitness he requireth
Is to feel your need of him;
This he gives you,
This he gives you,
This he gives you;
'Tis the Spirit's rising beam.

Lo! th'incarnate God, ascended,
Pleads the merit of his blood;
Venture on him, venture wholly,
Let no other trust intrude:
None but Jesus,
None but Jesus,
None but Jesus
Can do helpless sinners good.

A prayer

Worthy is the lamb…Father, only You can take blind eyes and make them see, only You can take hearts of stone and turn them into hearts of flesh; only You can cause hearts to fear that You may then those fears relieve. Father, I fear that I know so many who on “that day” will hear from Christ to their shock…”Depart from me, You worker of lawlessness I never knew You”.

The Jesus that so many celebrate this time of year is the Jesus whom they have custom designed in their own minds to be who they want him to be - an earthly king who fulfills their every earthly desire for relief from their struggle with death, sickness, poverty, pain, and every struggle. Their eyes are earthly eyes desiring their best life now. Their king Jesus is an earthly king to who they shout “Hosanna!” But they will soon shout “crucify him!” of his true followers who seek an eternal kingdom and relief from their sin. They think that they see while they are the blind leading the blind.

To watch so many blind who have never known sight stumble along towards certain death is terrifying to watch. Those who see warn with love and mercy knowing that they received their sight by the gift of faith through grace and mercy alone. The blind are increasing in number and claiming to see, they lead other blind men to death. The blind have splinters in their eyes the size of trees but they pick at the tiny splinter in their brother’s eye.

The miracle that they need begins with You Father - they must be taught by You that they cannot see. Reading Jesus’ description of the one who keeps His words in Matthew 5 - 7 sadly caused the blind to continue in their self-righteous claims of keeping God’s law. In fact, they become harsher in their judging of other blind men.

By Your grace, You open they eyes of your children causing them to say “Lord, if you are willing, You can make me clean” - You in mercy turn them from glorying in their “free will” to glorying in the will of Christ to save them (Matthew 8:2). You turn them into new creatures created in Christ who say: “Lord, I am not worthy for You to come under my roof” (Matthew 8:8) You birth them by the will of God and they hear you say as they lie paralyzed: “Take courage, son; your sins are forgiven.” (Matthew 9:2-3)

These are they who on “that day” when the rains of judgement fall, the floods of God’s holy terror blow, and the winds of God’s righteousness howl, are safe; they are safe in the ark of Christ who alone is the keeper of the law. He has created creatures who no longer walk in darkness - the darkness of hatred, and judging their brother, and self-righteous hypocrisy. They no longer claim to have no sin; rather they confess their sin, they are poor in spirit, mourning over their sin and hungering and thirsting for a righteousness far greater than the greatest religious man that they have ever known. Their purified hearts hate the struggle of their sinful bodies against their new desires for thirst for such a righteousness. They desire true peace for those who cry that there is peace but have no peace - the blind who think that they see but march on through the wide gate of destruction. These new creatures who now see suffer willingly under the yoke of the master as they cry out against the darkness - but as they suffer You give them joy and ultimately great reward. These will stand on that terrible day not of their own merit or in the safety of their own obedience but in the obedience and shelter of the worthy lamb.

But the blind will not - they are like chaff which the storm of judgement blows away. They like Cain remain blind denying their own sinfulness being worthy of bloodshed. Therefore they bring to you the works of their hands. They think that they see, they think that they obey. Their blind eyes and deaf ears do not hear the sound of the approaching storm in which they will be destroyed.

Father, open their eyes! I beg of You! I trust You, the judge of the earth will do right. But oh Lord, I did not deserve this rescue. I lay paralyzed and could make no move toward You, yet you said: “Son, your sins are forgiven.” as you gave Your own life in my place. So Father, I ask You for mercy - for the religious whose blindness causes them to trust in their checking of all the right boxes; for the poor and abused whose blindness causes a self-pity and trust in some sort of cosmic justice that they call God, for the rich who see no need of God, and for the many other self-righteous who trust in themselves rather than the rescuing work of Christ. Please Father, awaken men, open blind eyes…to the praise of the glory of Your GRACE!

A balance between false gospels?

Is there to be a balance between Legalism and Antinomianism or is there an altogether different answer to our guilt? Was not that answer to that question forshadowed so long ago as Adam and Eve covered their shame by the works of their own hands? As they expected the righteous crushing of their own life by a holy God - instead a wounding of Eve's own seed and final crushing by that seed of the tempter was promised. Then the seriousness of their crime and God's wrath was displayed there as an innocent animal was slain and they were clothed with the skin of that animal by God's own hand.

Since that day, God has delivered his chosen ones by turning their eyes in faith to Him alone for rescue - that rescue being accomplished by the shedding of innocent blood and the covering of their shame with a righteousness not their own. Most men throughout the history of mankind have sought to justify themselves and have displayed these efforts by both legalistic efforts and antinomian efforts. Some cover their shame with robes of antinomian grace that demands no death and they seek an earthly kingdom. Some cover their shame with doctrinal acknowledgement of sin, of death by sin, and even of righteousness by faith; but they clothe themselves in their self-wrought efforts at faithfulness (mistaking that for faith) instead of being clothed (by God) in the righteousness which is by faith - wrought of God. Others clothe themselves in efforts to meet the demands of God's holy law as if to undo their past infractions and ignoring their heart condition which hates God's law. Plodding along are some strange creatures - pilgrims - created in Christ who are by Him poor in Spirit, who mourn over their sin, who are humble as they hunger and thirst for a righteousness greater than the greatest religious man they know. They do not judge but instead show mercy as they do not cease to be amazed by the mercy God has shown to them. Their hearts have been purified and washed by God Himself with his blood; and they seek peace for all men. As they shine this light of peace in the darkness they are hated (especially by those who seek to justify themselves with religious effort) because men love darkness rather than light because their deeds are evil. But even as these pilgrims are hated and persecuted they rejoice for their reward is in heaven. They do not seek their best life now. They believe that in losing this life they will find life. What a strange creature. What an impossible creature, yet with God all things are possible. This creature in Christ does not glory in these descriptions of himself but he longs for these things as he groans to be delivered from his body of death and to finally be like the one who died that he might live. He does not even demand that others be like him, instead he desires that others be shown the same mercy - that their eyes would be turned completely upon the lamb - the one who alone is worthy to be praised. He does not glory even in his faith. He sees that his faith was a gift from God and desires it for those who remain in darkness and have not faith. Meanwhile, wolves in sheep’s clothing or prideful men pretending humility try to drag these sheep from the shepherd - but He will not let them go. The sheep are broken hearted over those who continue marching through the wide gate of destruction even while they talk of believing in Christ the narrow gate. But the shepherd does not know them. Only the Great Shepherd can do the saving. O Great Shepherd, O worthy Lamb, will you not save more?

Woman, Behold Your Son!

John 19:26-27 "Woman, behold your son!...behold your mother!

By nature all men, especially in time of pain, sorrow, and injustice are completely self absorbed. To see the needs of another and focus our attention on another person does not come by nature and all the more so is that the case in a time of suffering.

The disciple to whom Jesus spake these words from the cross later wrote in I John 4:12 "if we love one another, God abides in us and his love is perfected in us"

In the suffering of our Savior we see this perfect love. His love is completely centered on the Father as will be seen in his other cries from the cross. Here His love for the father is demonstrated in his love for others. 

It is impossible to fully imagine the depth of the suffering as Christ was experiencing not only extreme physical pain, not only the rejection of men, but the anger of the Father at sin being poured out upon Him.

Yet the first words of Christ from the cross that John records for us are these words demonstrating and demanding selfless love for the brethren.

As we think on Mary for a moment...surely there can be no human hurt of the heart as deep and crushing as the loss of a child. Not only was Mary watching her son be cruelly tortured, unjustly treated, and put to death; but this Son was perfect. He had never disobeyed her, he had never dishonored her, he had never failed to perfectly love her. Surely her mind traveled back to Gabriel's words only a short time ago..."And behold,, you will conceive in your womb and bear a Son, and you shall call his name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end."

She had kept these things in her heart...John nor the other gospel writers record his mother as one of the visitors at his tomb. Perhaps she was one of those about whom Jesus spoke when he said to Thomas "Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed."

Not long after Gabriel's announcement, Mary had said to Elizabeth: "My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has looked on the humble estate of his servant. For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed; for he who is might has done great things for me, and holy is his name."

No unbelieving mother could have stood at the foot of such a cruel cross with peace. The crushing pain in Mary's heart was surely assuaged by the same faith that Abraham had obediently demonstrated as he raised a knife to slay his only son - believing that God was able to raise him from the dead.

Jesus would soon be ascending to heaven as Mary's Savior and no longer as her son. John and Mary like you and I now would have a new family during our short pilgrimage - the family of God - those bought by the precious blood of Christ. And together we walk as strangers believing "the disciple" John as he reminds us: "Beloved, we are God's children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is." 

Do we need revival?

This was how Samuel Davies described the people of Hanover, VA in 1751 and applied it to himself and they didn't even have Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, Twitter, or March Madness... Surely then we must ask ourselves the same questions that Mr. Davies exhorted regarding our true condition.  May the Lord send revival... that is my prayer...begin it in me...