The Tension of Love, Forgivness, and Justice

D. A. Carson book, Love in Hard Places (Wheaton: Crossway, 2002) has been challenging me these past few days on the topic of love and forgiveness.   I have and will continue to have the tension that he talks about in the following paragraph from page 83-84:

"The preceding Scriptures suggest that Christians experience an
unavoidable tension. On the one hand, they are called to abandon bitterness,
to be forbearing, to have a forgiving stance even where the
repentance of the offending party is conspicuous by its absence; on the
other hand, their God-centered passion for justice, their concern for
God’s glory, ensure that the awful odium of sin is not glossed over. The
former stance without the latter quickly dissolves into a mushy sentimentality
that forgets how vile sin is; the latter stance without the former
easily hardens into rigid recriminations, self-righteous wrath,
unbending retaliation."

You can read the book for free as a pdf file by clicking this link: Love in Hard Places

God is Faithful! Are you?

A Shepherd’s Musings - December 2010

Ways in which God Shows His Faithfulness

What a joy to have been able to write and preach about God’s faithfulness in the Year of Our Lord, 2010.  I am prayerfully wondering about what theme would be good to write about on a monthly basis this coming year. I am open to suggestions, if you have any. 

Last month I recounted some of the ways in which God has been faithful to me and hope that you spent some time doing the same.  This last month of the year 2010, I want to muse upon some of the ways God has demonstrated His faithfulness to all of us.

Every morning as the light begins to penetrate the darkness at the dawn of a new day and we see the soft yet brilliant red hues in the sky, we are all benefactors of God’s common grace to both those who acknowledge Him and those who deny Him.  The breath of air that we just breathed is a gift from God—life is a faithful gift from God.  The food that we eat is a testimony of His faithfulness to His promise that there will be seedtime and harvest while the earth remains (Gen.8:22).  Furthermore, that beautiful rainbow that dazzles our eyes with wonder and awe was given by God as a reminder of His faithfulness. Truly, there are signs and wonders all around us that speak volumes concerning God’s faithfulness for those who have eyes to see and ears to hear.  For those who do not acknowledge God’s faithfulness the very fact that they are still alive is a testimony of God’s faithfulness.  They still have a chance to humble themselves before God and believe in Him.  For “without faith it is impossible to please Him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who seek Him” (Hebrews 11:6). Also, 2 Peter 3:9 says, “The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.”  There is still hope for our unsaved friends and loved ones!  God in faithfulness has given them more time to respond to His faithful revelation of Himself through the light of His creation and Scripture—Psalm 19.

Every Christmas as we put up lights to celebrate the season, it is a testimony to our faithful God that He sent His Son to be the Light of the world. Jesus Himself said, “I have come into the world as light, so that whoever believes in me may not remain in darkness.”   The light of God’s faithfulness flickered in His coming into the garden to seek Adam and Eve after their sin and the giving of the first gospel promise (Genesis 3:15). It was progressively revealed throughout history as God unfolded his plan of redemption through the children of Israel and His prophets (Isaiah 9:6, Isaiah 53).  It shined brighter at the incarnation when God became man at the birth of the Messiah in Bethlehem—Immanuel—God with us!  It blazed in darkness when God the Son took upon Himself the sin of the whole world by shedding His blood upon a cruel and agonizing cross that we might have the forgiveness of sin.  It radiated at the resurrection and ascension of our King and Lord to sit at the right hand of God the Father.  It will shine gloriously in the future when Christ returns to reign upon the earth for a 1000 years. 

God is faithful!  Will you and I be faithful to Him! The choice is ours to make each day.  May the Lord give you grace and mercy for the coming year and peace as you wait upon Him.  Have a worshipful Christmas and blessed New Year! 

With love and prayer,

Mark R. Worden

Links to the 2010 “Pastor Chat” devotionals on God’s Faithfulness are as follows:

January:  Dwelling on God’s Faithfulness!
February:  Telling Others of God’s Faithfulness!
March:  Hope and Confidence through God’s Faithfulness
April:  God’s Calling and His Faithfulness
May:  Chastening and God’s Faithfulness
June:  God is Faithful in Mercy
July:  Praise, Prayer and God’s Faithfulness
August:  God’s Faithfulness in Spiritual Battle
September:  God’s Faithfulness during Upheaval and Change
October:  God’s Faithfulness and our Love and Obedience
November:  Sharing Your Testimony of God’s Faithfulness
December:  Ways in which God Shows His Faithfulness

Sermon Links to Mini-Series on “God’s Faithfulness”
January 3, 2010
Listen:Our God- A Faithful High Priest
Download Mp3:
January 10, 2010
Listen:Our God–A Faithful Provider
Download Mp3:
January 17, 2010
Listen:Our God–A Faithful Judge
Download Mp3:
January 24, 2010
Listen:Our God — A Faithful Protector
Download Mp3:
January 31, 2010
Listen:God Is Faithful; Are You?
Download Mp3:
(If these sermons have blessed you please feel free to share the links with others who might benefit from them.)
“So than faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the Word of God.” Romans 10:17

The progressive aspect of our Salvation . . . God's not through with me!

 I was blessed by the Desiring God post today entitled The Journey of Sanctification  in which they quote Martin Luther thoughts on the process of sanctification:           

This life therefore is not righteousness but growth in righteousness;
not health but healing;
not being but becoming;
not rest but exercise.
We are not yet what we shall be, but we are growing toward it.
The process is not finished, but it is going on.
This is not the end, but it is the road.
All does not yet gleam in glory, but all is being purified.

A Testimony of God's Faithfulness

Has God been faithful to you? I would love to hear your stories of God’s faithfulness.  I encourage you to follow the Psalmist’s example and not conceal, but declare and sing of God’s faithfulness as the following verses challenge us:

Ps 40:10, “I have not hid thy righteousness within my heart; I have declared thy faithfulness and thy salvation: I have not concealed thy lovingkindness and thy truth from the great congregation.”

Ps 88:11, “Shall thy lovingkindness be declared in the grave? or thy faithfulness in destruction?”

Ps 89:1, “I will sing of the mercies of the LORD for ever: with my mouth will I make known thy faithfulness to all generations.”

I would like to tell you some of the highlights of God’s faithfulness to me:

1.      God was faithful to pursue me in grace when I tried to push Him out of my life from age 16 to 18 by putting my faith in an evolutionary explanation of the origin of life instead of recognizing Him as the Creator.

2.      God was faithful to grant me a heart of repentance when I yielded to His love expressed in the Gospel of Christ (Romans 1-11) and received Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior on the third Sunday of August, 1978.  

3.      God was faithful to make me a new creature in Christ; He began changing my desires from the moment I surrendered and truly believed and trusted in Him with my whole heart.

4.      God was faithful in leading me to Churches that taught and preached the Bible—where, although the pastors and congregations were not perfect, they for the most part had a heart for God and encouraged me to be faithful to our faithful God:

First Conservative Baptist Church, Roseburg, Oregon – Pastor Roy Campbell
Westside Baptist Church, Eugene, Oregon – Pastor Greg Kaminski
Emmanuel Baptist Church, Roseburg, Oregon – Pastor Dale Johnsen
Mount Calvary Baptist Church, Greenville, SC – Pastor Jessie Boyd & Mark Minnick
Temple Baptist Church, Richland, WA. – Pastor Michael Gilchrist
Jordan Valley Baptist Church, West Jordan, Utah – Pastor Harley Johnson
New Israel Baptist Church, Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil – Pastor Sergio

5.      God was faithful to always give me direction as I waited upon Him in prayer for guidance and wisdom to make the big decisions of life: where he wanted me to go to college, who He wanted me to marry, where and how He wanted me to serve Him.

6.      God has been faithful to forgive me when I confess my sin (1 John 1:9-10).

7.      God was faithful to help me be a better dad when I was struggling.  His Word gave me wisdom beyond myself – Click hear to read the Bible study that changed my parenting.

8.      God was faithful to give me the perfect help meet in my wife, Tammie, who is submissive yet not a doormat, supportive yet not flattering of my sinful ego, and sharpening yet not critical.  God was faithful to restore my wife’s health when she became so ill while we served in Brazil.

9.      God has been faithful to provide for all of our needs in 25 years of marriage and ministry. When we were about out of food, He provided in miraculous ways.  When our mode of transportation broke down, He provided means and funds for it to be fixed.  When we needed wisdom for family and ministry relationships, He gave wisdom for the asking like He promised.  When we needed a place to rest our heads, He always put on the hearts of His people to take us in with loving assistance, which also gave us the opportunity to be a blessing in return.

10.  When the burdens of life and ministry were too hard to bear ourselves, God was faithful to give us sustaining grace.

11.  God was faithful to give me six challenging and good years as Pastor of First Baptist Church where it was a joy to see His word take root in the hearts of those who had ears to hear.

12.  God has always been faithful to slow me down when I need slowed down and to speed me up when I needed speeded up. 

As we wait on the Lord for future direction, we have no doubt that we can trust in our faithful God.  I am reminded of something I wrote to Tammie Rich before she became Tammie Worden:

We can praise God for His providential hand of leading in the past;
We can look forward in faith to what He will do in the future;
but we must concentrate on keeping His commandments consistently today!

What was true for our lives over 25 years ago is true for our lives today; however, I would add another thought: We can only do it by the faithful enabling grace of God.  The grace of God is what I preached on this past month while doing some pulpit supply at Grace Bible Church:  You can listen to the message by clicking on the sermon title: Grace at Grace.  Down load the message: Mp3
I praise God for His faithfulness!  Will you?    
With prayer, Mark R. Worden

I had not painted for over 10 years, when last Sunday a special friend who happens to be an art teacher grabbed her art supplies and said, "Lets go painting."  So Tammie and I tagged along to find a good view of the house that she is living in. The experience was a blessing that I found very relaxing and healing as the artist within me came alive again.  Thank you Lord for the gifts you have given me; I give you all the glory!

October Musings on God's Faithfulness

I would like to finish out the year writing about God’s faithfulness, because He is faithful!

Today I searched anew for Bible verses that reveal God’s faithfulness and was blessed by God’s revelation of Himself through His Word (see selected verses). 

Apparently the first direct mention of God’s faithfulness is by Moses in Deuteronomy 7:9 as he addressed the children of Israel under the inspiration of God, “Know therefore that the LORD thy God, he is God, the faithful God, which keepeth covenant and mercy with them that love him and keep his commandments to a thousand generations.”

First, let’s note that this is a truth that we can know. Without a doubt, God will faithfully keep His covenants and His mercy. Secondly, that it is qualified by two conditions: 1) loving God and 2) keeping His commandments. The order is important here; the only way that anyone can keep God’s commands is to truly love Him first. We must respond to God’s revelation of Himself with loving faith and trust instead of rejection by willful ignorance (Romans 1) or willful religious pride (Romans 2). The Jewish leaders by the time of Christ had focused on the keeping of the commands in their own ways to the exclusion of knowing and loving God. Subsequently, they did not recognize Emmanuel and rejected their Messiah; therefore, they would not come under God’s mercy and instead came under God’s wrath as Jesus proclaimed in Matthew 23.

These two conditions of love and obedience, in that order, carry over into the New Testament in verses such as the following:

• I John 4:19, “We love him, because he first loved us.”

• Romans 8:28, “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.”

• John 14:15 “If ye love me, keep my commandments.”

• John 14:23, “Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.”

From these and many other verses we can conclude that our love, obedience, and faithfulness to God can only be attributed to God’s grace and work in us. It is the abiding Spirit of God within us as born again believers that helps us to depend on God’s faithfulness to His promises and mercy.

We must guard our hearts from trying to obey God without first loving Him. What has your motive been recently for obeying God?

With prayer, Brother Mark Worden

Artist's rendition of my last Sunday morning message at FBC