Good Friday Friends...

 "Human Wisdom"

Spurgeon writes: "Human wisdom delights to trim and arrange the doctrines of the cross into a system more artificial and more congenial with the depraved tastes of fallen nature; however, instead of improving the Gospel, carnal wisdom pollutes it, until it becomes another gospel, and not the truth of God at all."

The Apostle Paul dealt with this very issue in the book of Galatians. He was "astonished" that the Galatian Christians had "turned away" from the true Gospel in favor of a "human wisdom-assisted" Gospel, one that added to the Gospel. 

Oftentimes, today, we can find ourselves tempted in the direction of trying to make the Gospel more "palatable" for "fallen natures". Certainly...we want to make the Gospel as clear as possible for all to hear and understanding. Yet, in seeking clarity, we must be careful not to minimize the hard truths which in turn makes the Gospel soft and turns it into a "different" Gospel. 

In the Grip of God's Grace,

MBH

Good Friday Friends...

Have you ever just sat in your vehicle at a stop light or stop sign or when you have pulled into your driveway and just listened to the motor hum? Every engine has a certain hum to it, a sound that it makes. 

When our vehicles are "idling" without the radio on or other noises, you can hear the hum of the gears so to speak.

When we think of our day-to-day lives, what does the "hum of the gears" of our soul's affections sound like? 

I wonder if it sounds the same as the world's engine, or does it have a hum in idle position that sounds like the kingdom of God?

Our affections have been defined in several ways over the years. We can think of our affections as the inward impulses, disposition, motivations, values, loves that direct our day-to-day lives. They are the soul/heart instincts that move us to act in the ways that we do. Affections lie under the attitudes and actions giving force to those attitudes and actions. 

Whatever dominates our affections--whatever the hum of our gears is--controls our life. 

What's the hum of your heart sound like today?

In the Grip of God's Grace,

MBH

Good Friday Friends...

Over the last several weeks, I have been reading "a 40-day Bible Study" book on Matthew's gospel by Dr. Charles Quarles, New Testament Professor at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary. It is a walk through the gospel of Matthew over a 40 day period. Each day's devotion contains several parts: focus passage, a longer passage to read, commentary on the passage, a focus on Christ section, application section, and some reflection questions. 

I have found this to be a great resource and help in understanding the gospel of Matthew. The commentary is superb and substantive. There is no fluff here; yet, the application to real life...excellent! If you are looking for devotion book without the fluff and stuff, here's a good one. Click the link for Amazon: Planted in the Word - Matthew. 

One of the big takeaways for me: the tie in from Matthew 1 to Matthew 28 that Jesus is "Immanuel". Everything in between is the revelation of Jesus as God with us. That is the link throughout the gospel, and it becomes evident the more you read. 

Immanuel - God with us. 

In the Grip of God's Grace,

MBH

Good Friday Friends...

Living the Christian life often feels like taking one step forward and two steps back when it comes to our sanctification. The flesh we battle against rears its ugly head like a weed in the flowerbed you thought you had pulled up from the roots; yet, there it is...again.

You confess...you repent...you pray for the Lord's help to gain the upper hand. But, alas...the reality of Romans 7 hits hard again and again. 

Romans 7:21-24 So I find it to be a law that when I want to do right, evil lies close at hand. For I delight in the law of God, in my inner being, but I see in my members another law waging war against the law of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members. Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? 

"Wretched man that I am" -- what a phrase to really motivate you toward obedience, right? It reminds me of the original lyrics to the great hymn "At the Cross" in verse 1 by Isaac Watts, "for such a worm as I". Thankfully, the Holy Spirit prompted Paul to keep writing in Romans 7 and 8 and prompted Isaac Watts to keep writing the refrain of that great hymn. 

Romans 7:25 "But thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord". 

And, then Romans 8:1 -- "There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus."

When the battle with the flesh rages and we give in...when we lose...with humility and repentance we keep running to the cross of Christ because "at the cross where I first saw the light the burden of my heart rolled away". 

Hold Fast in the Fight for Holiness,

MBH

And...just like that...part 2

 And, just like that...it's June, 2023...

Almost half-way through the GOAT year as it has been labeled...you know, "23", you know, Michael Jordan...okay...as long as we are on the same page (had to throw that in).

One of the many things about God's grace and His work in our lives is the opportunity to hit the "reset" button. In fact, every morning since His mercy's are new each day, is really an opportunity to hit "reset". 

Even with a desire to faithfully walk with the Lord each day and be obedient to Him, we often (more often than we want to admit) just flat out blow it. We say a cross word here, we have an ungodly thought there -- sometimes, it's just like -- Ugh!

Yet, in God's mercy and the promises of scripture grounded in the life, death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus, in humble confession and repentance, He allows us to hit "reset". And, for that, I am so very thankful. 

So, as we head toward the middle of the year and make the turn, maybe you need to hit reset -- maybe on your goals for the year, your spiritual goals, your physical goals, your relational goals -- maybe there are others. Well, hit the reset button. Take Philippians 3:14 to heart - "I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus".