FYI -

I've written three articles today - or at least tried.  If you're like me all the nutty stuff going on here and around the word is very distracting to say the least.  Also, if you're like me you've got your own issues and problems that work really hard to distract you from your Christian duties.

Not wanting to buy into all the doom and gloom I decided to just encourage you and the best encouragement is His encouragement.  In my writing today I came across a passage that lifted my heart and moved me to prayer.  It is my simple hope that many of you will consider it and pray about  it.

It's not an easy thing but as Richard Baxter wrote concerning our Christian duties:

"Doing it as you can is the way to be able to do it better."

So with that said, consider:


Philippians 2:1-18 ESV
So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, [2] complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. 

[3] Do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. [4] Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. 

[5] Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, [6] who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, [7] but made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant,being born in the likeness of men. [8] And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. 

[9] Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, [10] so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, [11] and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

 [12] Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, [13] for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure. 

[14] Do all things without grumbling or questioning, [15] that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, [16] holding fast to the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I may be proud that I did not run in vain or labor in vain. [17] Even if I am to be poured out as a drink offering upon the sacrificial offering of your faith, I am glad and rejoice with you all. 

[18] Likewise you also should be glad and rejoice with me.

Yours In Christ,
Michael (Sheepdog) Sanders

Promises of God: Principal and Less Principal

The Puritans viewed God's promises as being noted in several categories.  These were (in general):
Legal
Evangelical
General
Principal (and less principal)
Direct (also deduced or implied by consequences)
Absolute/Conditional

They firmly believed that we were to engage these promises in our prayers.  To seek the promisor for that which He promised.

Today - unfortunately - there is little distinction between the promises on the basis of their context and intent.  Hence we suffer from a mis-appropriation of these promises in our prayers.  I would have us look at one category, that of the Principal (and less principal) promises of God

The Principal promises all concern the promise of righteousness and the remission of sins.  Herein we have the, if you will excuse to term, ultimate promises, the aim of the coming, death and resurrection of Christ.  These, for me, are the promises beneath which all other or in which all other promises must be viewed, considered, contemplated and sought.  Outside the context of redemption the "promises" are either mute of very bad news.

In seeking God's provision or keeping of His promises men tend to prioritize them on the basis of their "felt-needs."   This is not unexpected because the flesh is still strong in us and it would have itself comforted.  But, it is not been,   nor will it be the purpose of God to satisfy our fleshly desires (which we tend to elevate to the level of needs.)

His promises "fulfilled," - are those regarding our salvation and all that contains - we do not need to seek them.  We do however need to start with those fulfilled promises in order to qualify or govern our seeking all the others.  To seek the provision of what God has promised apart from those principal and fulfilled promises creates the danger of praying in the flesh - or worse, for the flesh.

Directly related to the Principal promises are what is referred to as the Less principal promises.  Among these we find promises like the deliverance from affliction, safety in danger, health and even prosperity.  It is hoped that one does not have any difficulty in seeing why these would be principal yet "lesser," promises.

The lesser-ness of these promises, for me, is seen in the overall purpose of the redeemed to glorify God and enjoy Him forever.  With that is the duty of the redeemed to serve God in His purposes whether those purposes are agreeable to our "flesh" or our comfort.

The question to ask is, "Would I stand in the way of God's principal promises to others (as if I could) in order to have a lesser principle promise met in my life?  Or, "Would I balk at adversity and a lack of comfort if that was His means of blessing me and/or others?"

 Getting practical I ask, "Will I pray for prosperity if, in my lack of it, I grow in dependence upon Him and others are blessed by His faithfulness in my lack of it?"

"Will I pray for health if, in my dis-ease I am a witness to Him?"

"Will I pray for anything that might hinder my being conformed to the likeness of His Son?"

Or will I always begin with, "Lord I know that Your grace is sufficient for me and Your strength in made manifest in my weakness?"  Or to put a fine point on it, will I always begin my prayer not just with the words but with the intent of the words, "Your kingdom come, Your will be done"?

"If it be Thy will," is not some prayerful cop-out.  It is not some
"covering our bets" in the matter of faith.  No indeed, "If it be Thy will," is the greatest statement of faith a believer can make.  Especially when under trials and difficulties.

"If it be Thy will," is the declaration by the believer that not only is God sovereign but that God is - in our belief - only good.  AND that whatever is part of His working out His purpose in the world and in (or through) our lives is THE greatest good.

There is a spirit (I use that word guardedly) of evil presumption abroad in the world when it comes to the promises of God.  Men and women are encouraged - sometimes commanded to pray with a spirit of presumption with little regard for the will of God as we find it in the Word.

It is God's will that I enjoy health and wealth - it is His promise to me.  But for me to presume I may have it here and now and now there and then is hubris of the most malignant sort.  God owes us nothing.  Too many pray as though He did.  In that praying I worry that they can't see that their very presumption minimizes what God has done for us in Christ.  It just smacks of a "Not good enough God."

May we pray for health and even wealth?  Certainly!  But we must remembers that our God is a good God and that the bread we seek may indeed be a snake we should avoid.

We must always consider that though we may not "like" the circumstances He has placed us in - they are for His glory, the edification of His Body and our conforming into the likeness of His Son.

If you struggle in keeping the Principal promises clear and correctly prioritized seek His help - whether in healing, correcting or refining.  The flesh will demand what it wants and sometimes through the warping of the Word of God its demands seem legitimate.  We must pray that this delusion be removed from our thinking, that our flesh be subdued and that our understanding and appreciation of ALL the promises of God to ALL His people are ALL important but not all "our" priorities align with His fulfilling His will (which is the fulfilling of His promises).

As I work with men and women who dearly desire to be conformed to His will I am never surprised to find a battle between hubris and humility.  Indeed I can find it all the way back to Adam - Let us sincerely pray for the sincere ability to pray - "Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done," and for the hearts to accept the answer whatever its form.

In the wilderness Satan confronted and tempted Jesus with the promises of God.  Seems he still using that trick - only we keep falling for it.  If you d not know the Word - the context of the promises - you'll fall for it every time.

Peter's Pen 1 Peter 5:6

1 Peter 5:6

Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, 7 casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.  ESV

Redundant?  Perhaps but don't we all need t be reminded - often and loudly?

It is God's hand under which we humble ourselves.  It is a mighty hand.  Because it is a mighty hand it will provide all we need.

We can and should cast all our anxieties on Him.  This word anxieties carries the important idea of "distractions."  That is the cares that distract us from serving Him.  That is a big and long list.  

This also points us to what should be our main focus, "to glorify God and enjoy Him forever." (WCF)  It is enough (as we will see) for Satan to distract us from our duties and obligations, from our service to Him and one another.  That's all Satan needs to do - that is to get our attention focused on our lack, our need, even our desires and off of Him, His grace, His promises, His power and His provision.

"Keep your eye on the ball," is not a bad admonition (I prefer it to keep your eye on the prize).  If our desire is to "put it our of the park," for Him then all Satan had to do is distract us from the pitch and we'll swing and miss.  

It is not just tough times that Satan uses and it is not just good times either.  There are those middle of the road times when we are neither in great need nor great prosperity.  For many of us, these are the times we grow slack and perhaps a little cocky.  We tend to prefer to have things on cruise control.  That way we can attend to other things.  They may be Ok things, they may be good things- but if they are not focus on Him they are just distractions.  And oh the multiplicity of distractions the world, the flesh and the Devil proved.

It is important that we keep our hearts under His scrutiny.  John Flavel in his book, Keeping the Heart, goes into great detail concerning the difficulty and imperative of this duty.  Our heart are easily distracted even mis-directed.  Though they are His they are prone to wander towards things necessary.  The bright and shiny things are as distracting as the dark and gloomy ones.

That is where remembering our moral littleness needs to be tattooed on our hearts.  This is a constant duty, keeping the heart.  We need to keep it for Him and from sin.  the idea of "keeping" is related to the old "keeps" that castles had.  The "keep" was the last bastion of safety when the castle was attacked.  Once the walls or gates were breached everyone fled to the keep.

Typically the keep was a rounded tower several stories high.  It was entered via a stairway made of wood.  Once everyone was inside the stairs were burned or otherwise dismantled denying access to the attackers.  The "keep" was well supplied with food and water and often had some secret passage for those inside to use for escape.

Such is the keeping of the heart.  It assumes the walls and gates are or will be breached and provides us with protection.  We live in hostile territory.  We are, whether we admit and accept it or not, surrounded by barbarians who are bent on conquering us.  Though we know they can never separate us from the love of God they are content to separate us from a sense of the love of God.  They are content with tipping the scales in favor of fearing them and away from trusting God.  They desire to destroy our effectiveness by distraction and distress.  hence, we must work to keep our hearts safe and protected in Him.

Now a "keep" is a small and confining place.  But it is a safe place.  Such is our life in Him.  It is small and confined.  There are many places we can not go and many things we can not do because we are in His "keep." But outside the "keep" our enemies wait.  Though were ever we go He is with us and we are in His care we also know that there are places of great danger and things to do that carry great hazard.  Why dear brothers and sisters would we desire to venture beyond the "keep?"

Humility - casting all our cares on Him - keeps us in His "keep."  Pride makes us think we can venture forth into the enemies camp and not be harmed.  Foolish, foolish pride convinces us that we have reached a point where our need for Him is somehow diminished, that we can handle somethings on our own.  Foolish, foolish pride.

Yes, we might be thrown into a lion's den.  We might be thrown into a fiery furnace.  But we are never told to go looking for a den to invade or a furnace to fling ourselves into.  

Only foolish, vain pride could ever move us to that.  There is a story of a believer who during English Civil War cried out, "Forward. God is on our side!"  He mounted the barricades behind which he had been safe.  After only a few paces he was cut down by a cannon ball.  

Pride, even in a believer, is still pride.

Look to the need!!!

ALAS! AND DID MY SAVIOR BLEED?

Alas! and did my Savior bleed

And did my Sovereign die?

Would He devote that sacred head

For sinners such as I?

[originally, For such a worm as I?]      

Issac Watts

That line, “for sinners such as I,” stuck in my head this morning. 

I began to wonder if I really knew what it meant in my life.  It’s easy to say, “I’m a sinner” (and we may add “saved by grace”).  We say it somewhat flippantly at times as though it was a “duhhh.”  But if we really take the time to reflect (prayerfully) on what the “such as I” means in our lives things can get really serious really fast.

I know that I have to work to plant my feet on His grace and look at the “such as I.”  It’s just too easy to allow myself to get at least a little smug and lazy about my sin.  When I do that I lose something – I lose the humility and dependency I need to really grow in Him.

I want to develop a mindset that recognizes and appreciates the fact that I need no less of the blood of the Redeemer right now than I did before He called me to Himself.  I will never not need it all.  Jesus will never have suffered less for my overcoming even the most minor seeming infraction.

Notice that the last verse was changed.  From worm – to sinner (see my blog on Worminess).  Though it’s nice to use sinner rather than worm I wonder if the word “sinner” has lost some of its impact on our hearts, especially when we seek to share the good news. 

Do we communicate the Gospel sinner to sinner or “Ok-sinner” to sinner?  Though I am “in” Christ I am no less a sinner than my friend who is not “in” Christ.  Oh, I am redeemed, I have the assurance His promise and sacrifice provides – but I am still a sinner – I haven’t quit sinning.  Do I keep in mind, as I share the Gospel, that in that very moment I am no less in need of His saving grace than the person I am sharing with? 

The Gospel is a n“everybody” thing – everybody needs to hear it and everybody needs to accept it.  It is not a “you” thing.  The only “once for all” was His redeeming death.  He died once for us.  We are saved AND being saved.  We (believers) work out our salvation with fear and trembling – our only confidence is in Him.

It’s tough to discover a good analogy for the “wormy” attitude.  But I really believe that we need to cultivate it in gratitude and hope and assurance of His promises.  What have we to lose if we rekindle the sense of need we had the day He called us. Perhaps all we’ll lose is our comfortable complacency and the projection of an attitude of superiority.  We, in Him, are better off, not better.  We are redeemed sinners but still sinners.

I remember a dog food commercial where a child sings:

My dog’s bigger than your dog

My dog’s bigger than yours

My dog’s bigger ‘cause he gets  XXXXXX

My dog’s bigger than yours

I can almost hear some believer somewhere singing

My life’s better than your life

My life’s better than yours

My life’s better ‘cause, it’s got Jesus in it

My life’s better than yours

Well, my hope is better, my relationship with God is better, the beliefs and teachings that shape my living arebetter – but my “life” here – it’s pretty much like everyone else’s.  As far as sin – I can run with the best of them.  In regards to a need for His provision, especially His redemption, my need is NEVER any less than the worst of the worst of the worst.

Dottie Rambo wrote lyrics which are to be sung to the tune of that great Irish ballad, O’ Danny Boy.  I sing it often (ok, not well but fervently).  The lyrics are:

He Looked Beyond My Fault

Verse

Amazing grace shall always be my song of praise,

for it was grace that brought my liberty;

I do not know just why He came to love me so,

He looked beyond my fault and saw my need.

Chorus

I shall forever life mine eyes to Calvary,

to view the cross where Jesus died for me,

how marvelous the grace that caught my falling soul;

He looked beyond my fault and saw my need.

As we share the Gospel, I suggest we prayerfully seek to look beyond their faults and focus on their need.  I also suggest that before we share, we prayerfully remember that indeed, He looked beyond our faults and saw OUR need – and He still does.

Worminess??? Why not??

C.H. Spurgeon used the word “worm” to refer to himself in contrast to the holiness of the Lord.  He uses “worm,” a lot. 

I get tickled at folks who just cringe at this appellation (like I used to).  It is kind of an icky way to view one’s self.  But if we just keep in mind the term is used in contrast to the wonder, righteousness, holiness and glory (to name a few attributes) of Christ, then I think we will be able to handle it well.

But I also think the “world” desperately wants us to ignore or reject that “worminess.” 

My first reaction to this was negative.  Hey, I work with people who are trying to improve their skills, talents, relationships, etc.  Calling them “worms” would not be productive – except in those few instances where my client is a believer.  But even still it’s a tough thing to accept.

Well, check out:  http://urbanext.illinois.edu/worms/live/index.html

Worms have no small importance in God’s creation!  They are no less important in “tending” God’s creation than we are.  They are part of the plan too.

No, I’m not expecting anyone other than believers to “get’ this.  And let’s not take this analogy too far. 

If I am a believer, my “worminess” has purpose and meaning.  The article above says, “Having worms around in your garden is a real good sign that you have a healthy soil.” 

Now that kind of relates to our role as His worms here.  We are light, we are salt and whoa to the places that have neither.  Of course, we are worms as well and whoa to the place that has no worms.

Think about this.  We consider ourselves, mankind, the pinnacle of creation – the “top.”  But where would we be without worms?  Wormlessness is not good – physically or spiritually.