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Chiseled by Grace (Or How “Shifty” Simon Became Peter, “the Rock”)

Nov 09

“Stupid.”
“Inept.”
“Angry.”
“Failure.”
Sometimes we claim labels for ourselves that make us feel stuck, unchangeable, hopeless. But in our rocky times, Christ has a chisel… and he reshapes us by grace. Read Peter’s example in this excerpt from Lysa TerKeurst’s book Unglued: Making Wise Choices in the Midst of Raw Emotions.

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Instead of condemning myself with statements like, I’m such a mess, I could say, Let God chisel. Let Him work on my hard places so I can leave the dark places of being stuck and come into the light of who He designed me to be. God is calling us out — out of darkness, out from those places we thought would never get better, out of being stuck.

The name Peter means “the rock,” but Peter’s given name was Simon, which means “shifty.” I can’t escape the richness of meaning here that Peter “the rock” didn’t get stuck being shifty his whole life. He let God chisel. Remember, Peter was the one who dared to jump out of the boat and walk on water. Then he got afraid, started to sink, and cried out to the Lord to save him. In a matter of moments, he went from being bold to being scolded for his doubt (Matthew 14:22–32).

Peter was also the man who loved his Lord with such passion that he drew his sword and cut off the ear of the guard trying to arrest Jesus (John 18:10). Then, just seven short verses later, we find this same Peter denying he even knew Jesus [John 18:17]…

He sure sounds shifty to me.

But not to Jesus. Jesus saw a courageous man who needed chiseling. Jesus saw a man who, when chiseled, would boldly do what others would not. Jesus saw Peter not as he was but as he could be. Tenderly, Jesus chiseled. After Peter denied Jesus, and Jesus was crucified and resurrected, Peter and Jesus had a conversation in which we get to see Jesus chiseling. Three times Peter denied Jesus. Three times Jesus asked if Peter loved Him. I can almost hear the Master’s chisel clink and chip and smooth [John 21:15-17]…

1 Response labels, Lysa TerKeurst, new testament, peter, unglued Read & Comment

Erase “Impossible” from Your Vocabulary (A Lesson from Joshua)

Oct 29

A high-stakes moment in the life of Joshua shows us that when we’re on God’s side, nothing is impossible. This is an excerpt from Lysa TerKeurst’s book Unglued: Making Wise Choices in the Midst of Raw Emotions.

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If ever there were a moment for Joshua to feel overwhelmed at facing a situation totally out of his control, [the siege of Jericho] would have been it. The plan was crazy. Short of a miraculous intervention from God, it wouldn’t work. Joshua would be shamed. His people would be defeated. And to those who didn’t believe, the God of Israel would be revealed as nothing more than a figment of Joshua’s overactive imagination.

Talk about pressure.

But this is all part of the story with which you’re probably familiar. Where’s the little part that’s less known? … It’s at the end of Joshua 5 when Joshua goes out to look at the walls before receiving his marching orders from the Lord. There he is. And there the wall is.

Joshua’s challenge

Despite Joshua’s long military experience, he had never led an attack on a fortified city that was so well prepared for a long siege. In fact, of all the walled cities in Canaan, Jericho was probably the most invincible. There was also the question of armaments. Israel’s army had no siege engines, no battering rams, and no catapults. Their only weapons were slingshots, arrows, and spears — which were like straw toys against the walls of Jericho. Yet Joshua knew the battle of Jericho must be won because, having crossed the Jordan River, Israel’s troops had no place to which they could retreat. Further, they could not bypass the city because that would leave their women, children, animals, and goods at Gilgal vulnerable to certain destruction.

Pondering these heavy thoughts, Joshua is suddenly confronted by a man with a drawn sword. Scripture reveals that this is no mere human but “the commander of the army of the Lord” (Joshua 5:14).

God’s presence in human form. Seeing that the man is ready for battle, Joshua asked, “Are you for us or for our enemies?” (Joshua 5:13).

Wrapped in this question we see a hesitancy in Joshua — a peek inside his thought life — a need for reassurance. Such an honest question, but one that makes me feel Joshua isn’t walking in complete confidence and assurance. If he were, he wouldn’t have asked. But he did. And this is where we assume that, of course God’s presence will answer, “Joshua, I am with you, for you, and on your side!” But we would assume wrong. When asked, “Are you for us or for our enemies?” the presence of God says, “Neither.”

Why?

2 Responses joshua, Lysa TerKeurst, old testament, trust, unglued Read & Comment

This Story Is a Mirror (Jesus and the Woman Taken in Adultery)

Oct 19

(Excerpt from Warren Wiersbe’s Life Sentences: What Sentence Will Sum Up Your Life?)

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How we respond to the account of the woman caught in adultery helps us better understand our own character. The secret sinner who dwells on such things longs for more details or supplies them from his or her own imagination. The legalist is disappointed that Jesus didn’t recommend capital punishment. But the believer who has experienced the grace of God gives thanks that there is forgiveness with the Lord.

We don’t have to commit this particular sin to know how gracious and merciful the Lord is. “Then neither do I condemn you… Go now and leave your life of sin” (John 8:11). If you have ever heard those words spoken to your own heart, then you will want others to hear them too. You want them to be able to say from their hearts, “The Lord is my light and my salvation.”

A trap for Jesus

The scribes and Pharisees had plotted the bringing of the woman to Jesus, hoping to trap Him. If He forgave the woman, then He broke the law of Moses and was in trouble with the Jews. If He condemned her to be stoned, then He was in trouble with the Romans who alone could execute condemned offenders. They must have planned the trap carefully; how could they have caught her “in the very act” unless they had been waiting for it to happen? But where was the man with whom she had sinned? The law required both parties to be judged (Lev. 20:10; Deut. 22:22).

Four different lights are shining in this passage, the most important one being Jesus Himself, the Light of the World.

Light #1: Creation

It was daybreak, and Jesus was in the temple teaching the people. The scribes and Pharisees interrupted His ministry by thrusting the woman before Him and demanding an immediate answer. How rude can hypocritical religious leaders get?

1 Response forgiveness, new testament, warren wiersbe Read & Comment

Fear’s Job Description

Oct 18

We’re tempted to think our fears are useful, that they protect us from harm. Instead, fear does us more harm than good, as we see in this wise excerpt from Christine Caine’s Undaunted: Daring to do what God Calls You to Do.

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Everyone fears something. Muggers lurking in dark alleyways. Losing your wallet — or, worse, your job, leaving you penniless. Automobile or airplane crashes… The sting of a poisonous insect. The ridicule of hecklers when speaking publicly. Rejection or disinterest upon meeting new people. Losing a child. Being abandoned by a loved one. Some of us fear failing. Others fear success…

Whether fear is subdued or strong, rational or irrational, the danger real or imagined, fear will always try to stop you, trip you up, and put your life on hold. Sometimes, just thinking about your fears can paralyze you.

Fear makes you miss out on the best in life

When you allow fear to dictate how you spend your days, you allow life to pass you by.

0 Responses christine caine, fear, undaunted Read & Comment

Surprising Truths about the Fate of Abel

Oct 11

How would you sum up Abel’s life in one sentence? Compare your answer to this 1-line summary from Warren Wiersbe, who then shares some convicting and heartening reflections on Abel’s death and Christ’s victory. (This is an excerpt from the eBook Life Sentences: What Sentence Will Sum Up Your Life?)

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Abel - By faith he was commended as a righteous man. -Hebrews 11:4

The most important thing in life isn’t what we think about ourselves or what others think about us, but what God thinks about us. He is the final Judge. When He examines and evaluates our motives, words, and actions, are we commended, as was Abel, or are we condemned, as was his brother Cain? “The Lord does not look at the things man looks at,” God told the prophet Samuel. “Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart” (1 Sam. 16:7).

The difference between Cain and Abel

Why did Cain murder his brother? “Because his own actions were evil and his brother’s were righteous” (1 John 3:12)… By using the plural “offerings,” Hebrews 11:4 may suggest that [God gave his approval] each time Abel came to the altar; and perhaps each time Cain noticed it, he became angrier and more resentful. What a tragedy to come to worship God and then go away filled with thoughts of murder!

Had you questioned Cain, you probably would have discovered that his theology was fairly sound. He believed in God and believed that God had created all things. He believed that God wanted to receive worship and thanksgiving. He believed that he and his brother were supposed to work and carry their share of the family burdens. But the demons believe in one God, and they aren’t saved; and when they think about God, they tremble — something Cain didn’t do (James 2:19). That’s why James added, “As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead” (James 2:26).

Dead faith is deceptive faith, but it doesn’t fool God. True saving faith makes the believer into a new creation, with a new Master, new motives, new priorities, and new desires to love God and one’s neighbor. Jesus called Abel “righteous Abel” (Matt. 23:35), and John said that Abel’s actions were righteous, so in both character and conduct, he proved to be a righteous man.

0 Responses abel, life sentences, warren wiersbe Read & Comment

Hope for Broken Hearts

Oct 10

“We cannot heal our own broken heart,” write doctors Henry Cloud and John Townsend, but there’s hope. Find out why in this excerpt from the NIV Life Journey Bible. -Adam Forrest

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A broken heart vs. “normal” pain

Brokenheartedness is a painful state of being… When we are brokenhearted, our inner self feels smashed into pieces. Brokenheartedness occurs when we do not have the capacity to bear a loss or pain and something breaks inside.

For example, it is one thing to be discouraged in a relationship after a quarrel or period of alienation; it is quite another to be devastated by a severe relationship problem, such as deception, unfaithfulness, abuse or abandonment. We can also be brokenhearted about the loss of a loved one, a serious health issue, an emotional problem or a career loss.

However it happens, life as we know it goes on hold when we are brokenhearted.

What can we do with our broken heart?

We cannot heal our own broken heart in our own strength; we need God. During those times, God does not leave us alone. He takes initiative, healing us and binding our wounds…

3 Responses henry cloud, hope, john townsend, life journey bible, niv bibles, pain, zondervan bibles Read & Comment

Abel’s Death and the Surprising Truth it Reveals about Life

Oct 08

If your life were summed up in one sentence, what would it be? A question question posed by Warren W. Wiersbe’s Life Sentences: What Sentence Will Sum Up Your Life?. In it Wiersbe Steps To Get Your Ex Back With You summarizes 63 lives from the Bible in one sentence each. Here’s his summary, and somewhat surprising reflection, on Abel:

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Abel - By faith he was commended as a righteous man. -Hebrews 11:4

The difference between Cain and Abel

0 Responses decisions, direction, great rescue bible, niv bibles, zondervan bibles Read & Comment

Jesus on Religious Hypocrites: A Good Show vs. A New Heart

Oct 04

“If you are ever bothered by religious hypocrites,” writes John Ortberg, “if you’ve ever wanted to post a scathing blog about how they turn your stomach, you’ll have to get in line behind Jesus.” Find out why hypocrites got under Jesus’ skin, and explore the difference between good behavior and true goodness, in this excerpt from John Ortberg’s book Who Is This Man. -Adam Forrest

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What makes “a good person”?

The good person is the person whose heart — whose inner being — is bathed and pervaded by divine love. Therefore the good person is not simply one who does good things; it is someone who genuinely wants to do good things…

Jesus’ teaching about the condition of the heart was so compelling that it entered into the moral vocabulary of the human race. The word hypocrite is used seventeen times in the New Testament. Every time it is used, it is used by Jesus. I know of few other words that are so singularly his…

Contrasts between hypocrisy and genuine goodness are laced through much of Jesus’ teaching. But one entire talk, placed by Matthew a few days before Jesus’ death, is devoted to this single topic. If you are ever bothered by religious hypocrites, if you’ve ever wanted to post a scathing blog about how they turn your stomach, you’ll have to get in line behind Jesus, because I do not know of any address by any enemy of religion that is more stinging in its rebuke…

0 Responses hypocrisy, john ortberg, new testament, who is this man Read & Comment

5 Steps to Overcoming Disappointment

Oct 03

(This wisdom for overcoming disappointment is excerpted from Christine Caine’s Undaunted: Daring to do what God Calls You to Do.)

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God knows when we need nurture and healing, refreshment and sustenance, and he gives us that. In fact, for our journey, he gives us five important tools to sustain us and to help us provide sustenance to others.

1. Seek comfort in the church

When you’re hurting, going home is the best thing to do, and church is the believer’s spiritual home.

The first Sunday after Nick and I lost our baby, taking that pain and disappointment to church seemed so counter-intuitive. I knew that we would be surrounded by well-intentioned church friends asking, “How’s the pregnancy going? How is the baby?” I dreaded having to answer those questions. But we knew that we needed to go to the House of God.

What I remember most about that Sunday is not how awful it was to answer people’s questions about the baby and have to tell the news one more time, and again, and again, but rather how incredibly loving and warm our church family was to us. I had no idea how much I needed a loving community to share my burden. But God did. And as our church gathered ’round Nick and me in our grief, we were able to lift our eyes off our circumstances and see God’s loving kindness.

5 Responses christine caine, miscarriage, pain and grief, undaunted Read & Comment

Feel Stuck in a Hopeless Struggle? Insights from Joshua’s Prayer

Oct 02

Do you feel stuck in a hopeless struggle and suspect prayer won’t make a difference? I recommend these insights from the life of Joshua, courtesy of Henry Cloud and John Townsend’s NIV Life Journey Bible. -Adam Forrest

Low expectations?

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Too often we pray with low expectations. Perhaps we pray out of habit or guilt, but there are times when we don’t expect God to do anything drastic on our behalf. Perhaps we fear getting our hopes dashed, so we set low expectations for God so that he won’t fail or disappoint us.

Joshua prayed differently. He asked God to make the sun stand still so that his warriors could continue to fight in daylight.

But Joshua didn’t expect God to do all the work. He trusted God to do his part — suspend the heavenly bodies — while he did his part, which was to wield his sword and lead his soldiers tirelessly into battle. The Lord hurled hailstones on the Amorites, while the Israelites chased and fought them. Joshua didn’t passively wait for God to do everything, but he trusted God to do what God could do [see Joshua 10:1-15].

1 Response henry cloud, hope, john townsend, joshua, life journey bible, niv bibles, zondervan bibles Read & Comment

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Book Excerpts

Chiseled by Grace (Or How “Shifty” Simon Became Peter, “the Rock”)

Erase “Impossible” from Your Vocabulary (A Lesson from Joshua)

Joshua’s challenge

This Story Is a Mirror (Jesus and the Woman Taken in Adultery)

A trap for Jesus

Light #1: Creation

Fear’s Job Description

Fear makes you miss out on the best in life

Surprising Truths about the Fate of Abel

The difference between Cain and Abel

Hope for Broken Hearts

A broken heart vs. “normal” pain

What can we do with our broken heart?

Abel’s Death and the Surprising Truth it Reveals about Life

The difference between Cain and Abel

Jesus on Religious Hypocrites: A Good Show vs. A New Heart

What makes “a good person”?

5 Steps to Overcoming Disappointment

1. Seek comfort in the church

Feel Stuck in a Hopeless Struggle? Insights from Joshua’s Prayer

Low expectations?