And they were filled with great fear and said to one another, “Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?”

Mark 4:35-41

And they were filled with great fear and said to one another, “Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?” Mark 4:41

I continue my study of Mark, leaning on the Christ-Centered Exposition commentary series volume for Mark.  Today, my focus is a commentary-assisted review of Mark 4:35-41, which is the text for the next chapter of the commentary - which offers six divisions for this text. Excerpts from the commentary's sixth (of six) division (v41): 

• The commentary's title for this division is "The Identity of Jesus Is an Issue We All Must Settle." 
• "The text says they were “terrified.” The fear of the disciples at what Jesus has done and who He might be exceeds the fear they had over the storm. The presence of God is far more frightening than the most destructive forces of nature. One can take your life. The other can claim your soul....Despite their recent experiences with Jesus as He taught and performed miracles, they still aren’t sure just who He is." 
• From the conclusion of this chapter of the commentary looking at the entirety of vv35-41, the commentary shares: "The parallels between Jesus stilling the storm and the story of Jonah should not surprise us. Jesus called Himself the true Jonah in Matthew 12:40. He is the true Jonah who was consumed by the stormy sea of God’s wrath as He hung on the cross. He endured the storm so that we could find peace and be saved. Jesus calmed the only storm that could truly drown us: God’s wrath and judgment. He went down in the storm only to emerge three days later as the One who stilled the just and righteous wrath of God against sinners." 

All of us, believers or not must make a decision for Christ or not and if we choose wisely then we are saved.  If not, we will experience eternal damnation.  Unbelievers may not acknowledge it, but they are slaves to sin and worshiping some other god then the One True God.  Believers are encouraged to be merciful to those who doubt, as we seek to save others from the fire (Jude 22-23).  We must also remember that we are not doing doing the saving, so we must pray for Jesus to soften hearts to save and to be a light so that unbelievers can see and experience Jesus through us. 

Comment and discuss this post.

My Prayer: Father God, Jesus, You are an awesome God that saves and Your mercies are ceaseless and they are new every morning.  Thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of my salvation nor any of the blessings or mercies You pour out for me.  My sin is great and it continues...daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please continue to heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin. Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day. 

Your own eyes shall see this, and you shall say, “Great is the LORD beyond the border of Israel!”

Malachi 1:2-5

Your own eyes shall see this, and you shall say, “Great is the LORD beyond the border of Israel!” Malachi 1:5

I return to my study of the last four books of the OT using the Christ-Centered Exposition Commentary volume for this book, moving on to Malachi, the last book of the Old Testament.  Today, I complete a commentary-assisted review of Malachi 1:2-5 by reading the text accompanied by the commentary's introduction to this book, as well as commentary specifically for 1:2-5 - which has three divisions.  

In the introduction, the commentary shares the following excerpts:

• "Throughout Malachi we will see how God, as a loving Father, confronts, corrects, and challenges the people of Israel about straying from Him. No one is excluded."
• "Malachi is a call for Israel to return to God before the Messiah comes to earth, for it was written to a people who lived in expectation of Him, but who had not yet seen Him."
• "Fortunately, the message of Malachi is not only for those who hadn’t yet encountered the Messiah, for its message is not merely, “shape up, because the Messiah is coming”; it is, “evaluate yourself, for you are not measuring up to what is required of you.” Just as the people in Malachi’s day were to introspectively evaluate their walks with God, we must take an inventory of our lives as well."
• Malachi in the text is referred to as "My Messenger" or "My Angel," and this reference has multiple meanings including word of the Lord to Israel, word of the Lord to the priesthood, the forerunner to the Messiah, and the Messiah Himself.
• Malachi was a contemporary of Nehemiah - see also this overview of the book of Nehemiah.
• The audience of the book is a unified Israel and written during 450 and 430 BC after Cyrus of Persia's decree that all Jews return to the land of their forefathers. 
• The temple has been rebuilt and the priesthood reestablished.
• Moral degradation is at all-time high.
• Malachi looks forward to the Messiah.
  

Looking at the text 1:2-5, the commentary outlines the following divisions:

• 1:2a God substantiates His love for His people through His declaration: Although throughout the OT Israel often misses it, God repeatedly asserts His love for His people by protection of Israel and punishment of its enemies.  One such example is how God rescued Israel out of bondage from Egypt while Pharaoh and his armies drowned in the Red Sea.  Of course, there are MANY others! For believers, we should be reminded that God loved us first and while we were still sinners, hostile and an enemy to Him!
• 1:2b God substantiates His love for His people through His election: Our actions do not determine our faith - instead our faith is a gift from God delivered as a result of God's purpose alone.  The commentary points to how the text uses the example of Esau and how Paul describes God's love for Jacob (vs Esau) in Romans 9:10-12 and shares: "God’s election, then, is not influenced by human interaction or cooperation. He chose Abraham out of all the people of the world. He chose Abraham’s son, Isaac, instead of his half-brother, Ishmael. He chose Jacob over his older brother, Esau. He chose the Israelites over all other nations. But He did not choose them based on their merit....The point is not that God loved Jacob more than Esau, but that He desired to make a covenant with Jacob instead of Esau. Consequently, the reason why election is referred to in Malachi 1 is not to create a sense of exclusion. Instead, election is deployed by the prophet to comfort and reassure the people of God."  
  
• 1:3-5 God substantiates His love for His people through His rejection: "God’s rejection of Edom is a response to their wickedness. There is a contrast in the text between wicked Edom and blessed Israel....God’s love for Israel should not be left to speculation. He pointed the people to a historical event to prove His love: the people of God had been brought back from Babylonian captivity while the land of Edom remained in perpetual ruin."
  

The doctrine of election is intended to humble us, reminding us that God's love for believers is not the result of anything we did or do.  We should not respond with a sense of entitlement nor arrogance and we should not be self-reliant as God alone provides - John 15:5 reminds us that apart from God we can do nothing.  We should also see how God loves us even in our punishment, and that He welcomes back those who repent as the commentary closes with a reference to the parable of the Prodigal Son in Luke 15.   

Comment and discuss this post.

My Prayer: Father God, You are an awesome God who loves me and who is full of grace and love me - not because of anything I do or did, but simply because You are full of grace.  Thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of my salvation nor any of the blessings You pour out for me. My sin is great and it continues...daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please continue to heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family,  my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

And when the Gentiles heard this, they began rejoicing and glorifying the word of the Lord, and as many as were appointed to eternal life believed.

Acts 13:48

And when the Gentiles heard this, they began rejoicing and glorifying the word of the Lord, and as many as were appointed to eternal life believed. Acts 13:48

While I have completed my study of Zechariah and it's time to transition to Malachi (as part of my study of the last four books of the OT using the Christ-Centered Exposition Commentary volume for this book), I pause before moving to Malachi to study Acts 13-14 as preparation for my Sunday school discussion this upcoming Sunday. For today, I lean on DesiringGod.com's Look at Book video for Acts 13:48 (Part 1 of 2) where John Piper unpacks the text looking at the doctrine unconditional election.  The key question at hand is who or what was the decisive cause of our faith? The text is clear on this question - not just with this verse which describes how many Gentiles "were appointed to eternal life [and] believed."  It is God who is of course doing the appointing or election and this election is unconditional because there is nothing we can do to earn this election.  Piper refers us to John 10:26-27, 2 Thessalonians 2:13, Ephesians 2:8-9, 2 Timothy 2:24-26 which support this doctrine.  To conclude the lab, Piper then shares how there are several takeaways from the text in terms of how it should move us: (1) we should be humble because we know it is God who gives us faith and it is not of our own doing, (2) we should be thankful because it is a gift God gives us to us and it is of course of value (an understatement!) and a blessing, and (3) we should have hope for others, even the hardest of sinners because there is no obstacle to faith that God cannot tear down for someone to come to faith.  This also reinforces a key theme I've been looking at with Acts 13-14 - that Paul and Barnabas, as the travel on their 1st missionary journey, are persistent in sharing the Good News with others, even when some reject it.  When you allow the Holy Spirit to work through you to speak boldly about the Good News of Jesus Christ, it is Christ who is the decisive cause of whether someone listening will become one of God's elect.  When someone does not believe, it does not change our mission to continue sharing the gospel - our job is to share the Good News, not to soften hearts, bring someone to repentance, or to bring about election - these are all the job of God and Him alone.  We may be an instrument of His but not the decisive cause.  

Comment and discuss this post.

My Prayer: Father God, You are an awesome God and my Savior! Thank You for the gift of my faith!  I am not deserving!  My sin is great and it continues...daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me turn from and overcome my sin and turn towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please continue to heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day. 

Beloved, do not imitate evil but imitate good. Whoever does good is from God; whoever does evil has not seen God.

 3 John 1

Beloved, do not imitate evil but imitate good. Whoever does good is from God; whoever does evil has not seen God. 3 John 1:11

I continue my study of 1,2,3 John using the Christ-Centered Exposition commentary series volume for these books.  Today, my study consists of an unassisted review of 3 John 1, primarily looking vv11-12 which per the commentary is the third division for 3 John 1.  3 John 1 includes three examples - two positive (Gaius, Demetrius), one negative (Diotrephes) - for who to imitate and who not to imitate.  In v11, John is clear that we are not to imitate evil (see also 2 John 1:7, 9a, 11) but instead to imitate good and and in v12 we have an example of Demetrius.  Demetrius is described is having "received a good testimony" from John and the other apostles - those sharing the gospel - and "from the truth itself" (all testimony is based the gospel and the Holy Spirit living in us giving us our faith).  When something is received implies that something is both given or shared and the recipient welcomes the something that is given or shared.  Diotrephes, on the other hand, does not welcome those sharing the gospel and spurns the gift of the gospel, even though, like Demetrius, it is offered to him.  In previous books (1 John, 2 John, the Gospel of John), John shares how we are to abide in Jesus and He will abide in Him - this is how we are to respond and receive the gospel.  God then works in our heart, then begins a process of sanctification to bring about obedience and to make us more like Him - this continues until glorification when this process is complete as we meet Jesus face to face in Heaven. 

Comment and discuss this post.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are the One True Example of Good, perfect in all ways, and Holy.  You save me and I am undeserving of such grace and mercy.  Thank You Jesus!  But again I am undeserving.  My sin is great and it continues...daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

[W]e know that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know him who is true; and we are in him who is true, in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life.

1 John 5

[W]e know that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know him who is true; and we are in him who is true, in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life. 1 John 5:11

I continue my study of 1,2,3 John using the Christ-Centered Exposition commentary series volume for these books.  Today, my focus is a "mostly" unassisted review of 1 John 5:13-21.  A core theme of John in the text today is how must protect ourselves from the world and the influences of the evil one Satan. John starts the text by sharing that he wants believers to know and have assurance that they have eternal life and this assurance should give us confidence to approach God in pray as He intercedes on our behalf. He hears our prayers.  John then focuses on one specific prayer - for another believer that sins who is able to truly repent from and receive forgiveness.  John does share that there is sin that leads to death and John Piper describes this as sin where a believer is unable to truly repent and receive forgiveness because God has given up on them or turned them over to his or her sin (see discussion here on this question). John then shares how God protects those born of Him where they abide in Him and He in them. V20 appears to be key in our power as Jesus has come and "given us understanding" and this leads us to Jesus, pushes us into Him vs falling prey to the world.  John ends with a blunt warning to keep ourselves from idols. 

Comment and discuss this post.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are the One True God and You are life - now to the full and forever in Heaven.  You protect me from sin and give me power over both sin and death - You also hear all of my prayers and respond - thank You Jesus for all of these blessings and of course for my salvation.  What a great God You are.  I am not deserving of such rich blessings nor my salvation.  My sin is great and it continues...daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome my sin and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, 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[.]

Ephesians 2

But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, 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[.] Ephesians 2:4-6

This morning, I pause my study of 1 Corinthians to use DesiringGod.com's Solid Joys daily devotion, which today explores the the pre-salvation state of believers and how our salvation is a "totally unconditional and utterly free act of God....This freedom is the very heart of grace."  In describing our pre-salvation state, John Piper shares that "we were dead to God. We were unresponsive; we had no true spiritual taste or interest; we had no spiritual eyes for the beauties of Christ; we were simply dead to all that ultimately matters." Piper then shares that "[t]hen God acted — unconditionally — before we could do anything to be fit vessels of his presence. He made us alive. He sovereignly awakened us from the sleep of spiritual death, to see the glory of Christ (2 Corinthians 4:4). The spiritual senses that were dead, miraculously came to life." Using Ephesians 2:4-6, Piper then emphasizes "the free-ness of grace" by pointing to verse 5 (and how Paul says the same thing in v8). Piper concludes the devotion by sharing rhetorically a question that looks at believers' election and says  an "what act could be more one-sidedly free and non-negotiated than one person raising another from the dead! This is the meaning of grace." Soak in this grace and love God for being rich in mercy!

Comment and discuss this post.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who loves me and who is full of grace and compassion for  - saving me!  Thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of such grace and compassion and mercy.  My sin is great and it continues...daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.  

For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.

1 Corinthians 1

For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. 1 Corinthians 1:18

I continue my study of 1 Corinthians.  I am assisted in my study by the Christ-Centered Exposition Series commentary for this book.  Today my focus is a review - unaided by the commentary - of 1 Corinthians 1:18-25. Here the emphasis is the contrast in how God's wisdom (the Word) saves and has power - even as God uses ordinary and weak people as vessels through which He delivers the Word - in contrast to worldly wisdom and power which God manifests in kingdoms that are brought low and humbled at His will.  The text starts today by describing how God's Word is "folly" to those who spurn its teachings but the Word is God Himself and it is power for believers (John 1:1). The text then rhetorically challenges us to look elsewhere in the text where we may identify wisdom in the world, but are challenged us to see how God is the source of wisdom and how God both raises up those in power and also tears them down - all at His whim.  The text continues to state how God is not known through worldly wisdom, but instead through humans to whom God reveals Himself - ordinary and weak people such as Peter - and how God uses ordinary and weak people to save.  The world often seeks "signs" and "wisdom" just as the Jews and Greeks did (v22), but Christ - who died and rose again - and His Word is all that is need by those who are called and believed through faith.  This is of course very hard to understand by those who don't believe and that is the point - belief and faith is through God alone who chooses to reveal Himself to whom He chooses - not through any wisdom that is gained through human effort - it is divine!  We should be thankful that God chose us not through our own effort but through grace and election at God's will alone.  I am drawn to Isaiah 55:8 where it is written how God's ways and thoughts are not easily understood by the weak human mind - however sharp it may be by earthly standards. 

Comment and discuss this post.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who IS wisdom, gives wisdom, and who saves - all by grace.  Thank You for my salvation and for the wisdom You provide to guide me as a lamp for my feet and life. I am not deserving of my salvation and for the wisdom You alone provide.  My sin is great and it continues...daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

Brothers, my heart's desire and prayer to God for them is that they may be saved.

Romans 10

Brothers, my heart's desire and prayer to God for them is that they may be saved. Romans 10:1

I continue to lean on DesiringGod.com's Solid Joys daily devotion, which today looks at how we pray for unbelievers - similar to yesterday where John Piper sought to help us see what kind of prayer pleases God. Piper looks at Romans 10, where Paul - a Jew - seeks to bring the Good News of Jesus Christ to the Israelite nation. He points out that Paul does not pray for "ineffectual influences, but for effectual influences," and that we should pray as such. Effectual influences are described (not exhaustively - see also this post) as promises of God and examples from scripture provided by Piper include:

• God, take out of their flesh the heart of stone and give them a new heart of flesh. (Ezekiel 11:19)
• Circumcise their heart so that they love you! (Deuteronomy 30:6)
• Father, put your Spirit within them and cause them to walk in your statutes. (Ezekiel 36:27)
• Grant them repentance and a knowledge of the truth that they may escape from the snare of the devil. (2 Timothy 2:25–26)
• Open their hearts so that they believe the gospel! (Acts 16:14) 

The implication here is that while we can pray for positive earthly influences for unbelievers (a gospel-centered church, Godly friends and disciple-makers, etc.), there is no substitute for God in how He is sovereign and provident over election and salvation.

Comment and discuss this post.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus - You are so good and You saved me - pursuing me and giving me a new heart of flesh - that I can desire and seek You.  Thank You Jesus!  Amazing grace - of course I am not deserving.  My sin is great and it continues...daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior - circumcise their heart so that they love you!  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

But we ought always to give thanks to God for you, brothers beloved by the Lord, because God chose you as the firstfruits to be saved, through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth.

2 Thessalonians 2

But we ought always to give thanks to God for you, brothers beloved by the Lord, because God chose you as the firstfruits to be saved, through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth. 2 Thessalonians 2:13

I continue to lean on DesiringGod.com's Solid Joys daily devotion, which today looks at questions many believers have, which is how can I be assured that once God chooses me as one of His elect that I will also endure and persevere such that I can have final salvation.  Piper frames the question this way: "[t]he Bible speaks of our election — God’s choosing us — in Christ before the foundation of the earth (Ephesians 1:4) before we had done anything good or evil (Romans 9:11). Therefore, our election is unconditional in the strictest sense. Neither our faith nor our obedience is the basis of it. It is free and utterly undeserved. On the other hand, dozens of passages in the Bible speak of our final salvation (as opposed to our election in eternity past) as conditional upon a changed heart and life." Piper answers this question, using 2 Peter 1:10, Deuteronomy 30:6, and Ezekiel 36:27, by sharing that election is the start of God working in my heart and life, and it is not the end as God.  God will cause and bring about obedience to Him and continue the sanctifying work over the course of your earthly journey with Christ. Piper wraps the devotion by writing: "[e]lection is God’s eternal commitment to do this for his people. So, election guarantees that those whom God justifies by faith he will most assuredly glorify (Romans 8:30). This means that he will unfailingly work in us all the conditions laid down for glorification." Important question and encouraging indeed!

Comment and discuss this post.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who loves me and who is full of grace and compassion for me - thank You Jesus for never leaving or forsaking me and for the ongoing work of sanctification in my heart and life.  I am not deserving of such blessings and love and grace.  My sin is great and it continues...daily.  Please forgive me and help me turn from and overcome such sin by turning to You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength. Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

In that same hour he rejoiced in the Holy Spirit and said, “I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to little children; yes, Father, for such was your gracious will.

Luke 10

In that same hour he rejoiced in the Holy Spirit and said, “I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to little children; yes, Father, for such was your gracious will. Luke 10:21

As I continue to sort out my next study, this morning I once again listen to and study DesiringGod.com's Solid Joys daily devotional, which this morning looks at Luke 10:21 where John Piper examines what makes Jesus rejoice in this text.  Luke 10 starts with Jesus sending out seventy-two of His disciples to share the Good News of Jesus Christ.  They return (v17-20) excitedly sharing the joy of how they, through the Holy Spirit, were able to have authority of demons.  Next we see how Jesus shares in this joy, rejoicing how God reveals the identity of His Son Jesus to some but not others - v21-22.  This is one of the great mysteries of the gospel - that Jesus saves some but not others.  Piper writes that "[t]he point of this is not that there are only certain classes of people who are chosen by God. The point is that God is free to choose the least likely candidates for his grace. God contradicts what human merit might dictate. He hides from the self-sufficient wise and reveals to the most helpless and unaccomplished. When Jesus sees the Father freely enlightening and saving people whose only hope is free grace, he exults in the Holy Spirit and takes pleasure in his Father’s election."  Piper wraps the devotion with a call to action that believers should join in this rejoicing as we know the identity of Jesus, the One Who Saves! Hallelujah!

Comment and discuss this post.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God that saves and through Your grace You have revealed Yourself to me - thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of how You save.  My sin is great and it continues...daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

“Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah[...]"

Philippians 2

 “Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah[...]" Jeremiah 31:31

This morning, my focus is DesiringGod.com's Solid Joys daily devotion, where John Piper seeks for believers to prepare our hearts for Christmas.  Today's Solid Joys daily devotion marks day 17 of Advent, and today John Piper shares how during Christmas we should appreciate how Jesus provides "the greatest salvation imaginable."  Piper uses Jeremiah's prophecy (500 years before Christ) where God promises a "new covenant."  The Old Testament covenant relied on works and one's own strength and will for obedience.  The new covenant promised by God through Jeremiah "replace[s] shadows with the Reality of the Messiah."  As Piper puts it, "[God] would powerfully move into our lives and write his will on our hearts so that we are not constrained from outside, but are willing from inside, to love him and trust him and follow him. That would be the greatest salvation imaginable — if God should offer us the greatest Reality in the universe to enjoy and then move in us to know that Reality in such a way that we could enjoy it with the greatest freedom and the greatest pleasure possible. That would be a Christmas gift worth singing about."  Piper highlights that salvation however, while available to all, is not given to all as sin separates all of humanity from God and the salvation available to us through Jesus is only given in response to acknowledgement of sin, belief and faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.  Once a believer does this, Piper describes this "greatest salvation imaginable:"God is now free, in his justice, to lavish us with all the unspeakably great new covenant promises. He gives us Christ, the greatest Reality in the universe, for our enjoyment. And he writes his own will — his own heart — on our hearts so that we can love Christ and trust Christ and follow Christ from the inside out, with freedom and joy."  Without a doubt the greatest gift of all time - believers rejoice!

Comment and discuss this post.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are a great God who offers the greatest gift of all time - salvation!  Thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of such a gift - not by a long shot.  My sin is great and it continues...daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me turn from and overcome my sin and turn towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.  

Because you are precious in my eyes, and honored, and I love you, I give men in return for you, peoples in exchange for your life.

Isaiah 42-44

Because you are precious in my eyes, and honored, and I love you, I give men in return for you, peoples in exchange for your life. Isaiah 43:19

I continue with my deep dive of Isaiah, based on the Precept Upon Precept study series. Today, I continue with Lesson 16, wrapping up the remaining lesson questions from Day 4, where the focus is Isaiah 43-44:5. My commentary raises the concept of reprobation, which I had never learned prior. The commentary raises this concept in the context of Isaiah 43:19 where God says that He saves believers but does not save others. This of course makes our own salvation even more amazing because as John Piper points out in DesiringGod.com that "[God] doesn’t choose to save certain people because they are better than others (unconditional election), [and] neither does he choose not to save certain people because they are worse than others (unconditional reprobation, or double predestination). Rather, everybody is lost in sin and no one has anything to recommend them to God above anyone else."  Believers rejoice and be thankful for the amazing grace He has poured out for us!

Comment and discuss this post.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who loves me and who saved me - not through my own actions but out of only amazing grace - thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of how You love me nor of my salvation.  My sin continues...daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo. Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

In that day the branch of the Lord shall be beautiful and glorious, and the fruit of the land shall be the pride and honor of the survivors of Israel.

Isaiah 3-4

In that day the branch of the Lord shall be beautiful and glorious, and the fruit of the land shall be the pride and honor of the survivors of Israel. Isaiah 4:2

I continue my deep dive of Isaiah, based on the Precept Upon Precept study series.  On day 8 of my study, where I proceed with Isaiah 3-4, the key takeaway comes from Isaiah 4:2 where God promises a branch of the Lord that will survive His judgement.  I am reminded that as one of God's elect - of course not through any actions of my own but purely due to His grace - I exist to glorify Him.   The branch of the Lord as described in Isaiah 4:2 is "beautiful and glorious," and all believers are called to be "beautiful and glorious."  

Comment and discuss this post.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an incredible God that has called me to be one of His elect - the branch.  Thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of such a gift.  My sin - worry, etc. - continues.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith. Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day. 

In that day the branch of the Lord shall be beautiful and glorious, and the fruit of the land shall be the pride and honor of the survivors of Israel. And he who is left in Zion and remains in Jerusalem will be called holy, everyone who has been recorded for life in Jerusalem, when the Lord shall have washed away the filth of the daughters of Zion and cleansed the bloodstains of Jerusalem from its midst by a spirit of judgment and by a spirit of burning.

Isaiah 3-4

In that day the branch of the Lord shall be beautiful and glorious, and the fruit of the land shall be the pride and honor of the survivors of Israel. And he who is left in Zion and remains in Jerusalem will be called holy, everyone who has been recorded for life in Jerusalem, when the Lord shall have washed away the filth of the daughters of Zion and cleansed the bloodstains of Jerusalem from its midst by a spirit of judgment and by a spirit of burning. Isaiah 4:2-4

I continue my deep dive of Isaiah, based on the Precept Upon Precept study series.  On day 6 of my study, where I start looking at Isaiah 3-4, the key takeaway comes from Isaiah 4:2-4, where God offers hope for those who remain close to Him, the remnant that will not be brought low, humbled and destroyed. I am reminded of John 14:6, where Jesus says "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." Those, whom I will refer to as "the world," who rely on idols above the One, True God, Jesus Christ, will not be saved but instead be destroyed.  Yet, again, for those who fail to submit to God, they will perish for eternity. 

Comment and discuss this post.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an incredible God who has sealed me for eternity and called me as one of Your elect - thank You Jesus!  What an incredible gift!  I am not deserving of such a gift.  My sin of worry and other sins, continue.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep. And I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd.

 I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep. And I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd. John 10:14-16

This afternoon, I continued with John Piper's book Holy Ambition.  My focus today is on chapter three  The Voice of the Sovereign Shepherd - pages 54-67. Here, Piper primarily uses John to state that there are other sheep (implying unreached people of the earth) that are "are not of this fold" (John 10:16). He briefly describes the doctrine of election, and how God has already chosen a select from the unreached people of the earth to be His, to hear his voice (John 10:3-4), and He knows them and they will follow Him (John 10:27). Piper encourages us to see how God does all of this but NOT without us as believers some of whom He calls to enter the mission field.  Piper closes the chapter to write: "[d]on't waste your life.  Open your mouth, and become and voice of the sovereign Shepherd.

Comment and discuss this post here.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an amazing God and I am grateful that there are those who have opened their mouth and served as a voice of the sovereign Shepherd - that I would be saved.  Thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of such a blessing.  My sin is great and it continues...including worry.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me. Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

So too at the present time there is a remnant, chosen by grace. But if it is by grace, it is no longer on the basis of works; otherwise grace would no longer be grace.

Romans 11

So too at the present time there is a remnant, chosen by grace. But if it is by grace, it is no longer on the basis of works; otherwise grace would no longer be grace. Romans 11:5-6

  

This morning, I continued my study of Romans.  Using my commentary - Exalting Jesus in Romans (eBook) - I started chapter fifteen From Theology to Doxology, which covers Romans 11.  My focus today is Romans 11:1-10, which my commentary refers to under the heading God Has a People, Chosen by Grace. Here, Paul continues to build his case that God's Word and promises have not failed.  In v11:1-10, Paul looks more closely at God's Word and Promises from the Old Testament and he reminds us that God never promises to save all the Jews, only a remnant.  Of course Paul is one of them and he shares his credentials in v11:1.  Paul then references scripture from 1 Kings 19:10, 14, and 18 where Elijah shares his frustration with God regarding Israel's hardened hearts and how they are seeking to kill Elijah (v11:4).  Paul uses God's response to Elijah (1 Kings 19:18) where God indicates that He will punish Israel but save a remnant of seven thousand.  Paul then writes how those saved are elected by God by grace alone and not "on the basis of works" (v11:6). In v11:7, Paul summarizes Israel's failure to "obtain what it was seeking," writing that "[t]he elect obtained it, but the rest were hardened."  Paul uses Isaiah 29:10 and Psalm 69:22-23 to illustrate how this was all part of God's design and plan.  

My commentary encourages us to look at Romans 11 broadly and see three themes:

1. Zeal for evangelism - as Paul seeks to save as many of his fellow Jews as possible
2. Call for unity - Paul writes to both Jews and Gentiles with the hope that both see each as part of the same church and both called by God and both children of God
   
3. Call for worship - Paul writes that our response to God's immense and unlimited mercy should be ceaseless worship

Specifically in v11:1-10, my commentary describes how Paul provides three "proofs" of how God has not rejected Israel in its entirety: (1) Paul himself (v1b); (2) God's saving of seven thousand who "had not bowed down to Baal--even though the majority of Israel had indeed rebelled against Yahweh;" (3) application of God's saving grace through election via v11:5 "[s]o too at the present time there is a remnant, chosen by grace."  The commentary sums it up very well by stating: "[m]any worry that the choosing of some and not all would be unjust, but this idea overlooks the fact that election is gracious.  No one deserves to be elected, and thus the election of any is a merciful gift of God that cannot be claimed as a democratic right (quoting Schreiner)."  We are encouraged to be motivated to be faithful....it may seem lonely, uncool, etc. but God is at work!

Comment and discuss this post here.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an amazing God who loves me and who is so full of grace and compassion for me - thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of Your grace and mercy - not at all!  My sin of worry, gossip, etc. continues.  Please forgive me Jesus.  Help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind.  Help me love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight.

Chapter 37: Pages 526-539

For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. Ephesians 1:4

This morning, I continued John Piper's book Providence (purchased from Amazon Kindle Store) with Part 3 "The Nature and Extent of Providence", moving to Section 7 "Providence Over Conversion" - moving to chapter thirty-seven "Driven Back to the Precious Roots of Election".

Here, Piper explores the challenging subject of "election", or the extent of God's providence in conversion that looks back in time to eternity past.  He starts by ensuring we know that believers are God's "special possession", pointing to scriptural examples in Amos 3:2 and Psalm 1:6. Additional examples are provided in Matthew 22:14, 22, 31, Luke 18:7, Romans 8:33, 11:7, 1 Corinthians 1:27, Ephesians 1:4, 1 Peter 2:9, and Revelation 17:14.  Piper writes that "it is clear that [God] has chosen which dead, unresponsive "stones" are his.  And in this choosing, God does not act whimsically and without a wise plan.  Therefore, this choosing (that is election) must be part of a plan."  A more "explicit" example is found in Acts 13:48. Piper uses this example to show how the Gentiles referred to in the verse believed "because they were in the group that was ordained to believe....God's providence in seeing to it that his people believe includes his choosing them for this."

Piper than pivots to John 8 (47), 10 (26), 17 (6) - 18 (37) to show how people belong to the Father before the Father gives them to Jesus. Piper then is emphatic in his statement that "being of God can't include all humans.  So belonging to God before being given to Jesus does not include everyone." God's election of anyone is a free act of God, an "act of free grace" - no one "qualif[ies] for God's choice."

He wraps it up using not just Acts 13:48, but Ephesians 1:4 to show God's providence over conversion and how it "stretches back into eternity" - election. 

Comment and discuss this post here.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who loves me and who chose me to believe BEFORE the foundation of the world - thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of such love.  My sin continues daily and there is much of it...please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.