Broken Cisterns

Jeremiah 2:12-13
12 Be appalled at this, O heavens,
and shudder with great horror,”
declares the Lord.
13 “My people have committed two sins:
They have forsaken me,
the spring of living water,
and have dug their own cisterns,
broken cisterns that cannot hold water.

I was thinking today as I was praying: what are my "broken cisterns," the things I place before Almighty God. There are some embarassingly trivial things which I am striving to get rid of with the help and power of the Holy Spirit. But, I began to think of the world itself, our earthly life, as the main cistern to abandon (2 Cor 5:14,15). Have I forsaken the world and am I living my life for Christ (John 12:25, 1 John 2:15)? Do I wake up in the morning striving to serve Jesus or running ragged to "succeed" here on earth? Sadly, it is often the latter. Why am I holding on to the broken cistern of worldly life? Why? It is a manifestation of unbelief to hold onto this world. O Lord help me surrender all to you. Not just the easy stuff. Help me surrender my life. Help me in my unbelief.

Jesus Meek and Mild?

I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and makes war. His eyes are like blazing fire, and on his head are many crowns. He has a name written on him that no one knows but he himself. He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God. The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean. Out of his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations. “He will rule them with an iron scepter.” He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty. On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written:

King of kings and Lord of lords.

Revelation 19:11-16

So, often Jesus is seen as only meek and mild. The name Lamb of God is his because of his sacrifce like a lamb for our sin, not because of his "softness." Jesus is the Lion of the tribe of Judah. He offered himself for us and offers us salvation, but he never chases people who choose to reject him. He doesn't beg. He is a loving God, but also a great warrior who will one day bring justice to the earth as the King of kings and Lord of lords. May his name be praised and held in awe and may I be there at the wedding supper of the Lamb.

Cheap Grace

If the professed convert distinctly and deliberately declares that he knows the Lord's will but does not mean to attend to it, you are not to pamper his presumption, but it is your duty to assure him that he is not saved. Do not suppose that the Gospel is magnified or God glorified by going to the worldlings and telling them that they may be saved at this moment by simply accepting Christ as their Savior, while they are wedded to their idols, and their hearts are still in love with sin. If I do so I tell them a lie, pervert the Gospel , insult Christ, and turn the grace of God into lasciviousness." -C.H. SPURGEON

What Delights God...

Obedience--1 Samuel 15:22
Integrity--1 Chronicles 29:17
His Sons--Proverbs 3:12
Honesty--Proverbs 11:1
Blamlessness--Proverbs 11:20
Telling the truth--Proverbs 12:22
The prayer of the upright--Proverbs 15:8
Doing what is right and just--Proverbs 21:3
Kindness, justice and righteousness--Jeremiah 9:24
Mercy, acknowledgement of God--Hosea 6:6; Micah 7:18
Sacrificial monetary giving--Philippians 4:18
Taking care of one's family--1 Timothy 5:4
An undivided heart--2 Timothy 2:4
Faith--Hebrews 11:6
Doing good, sharing with others--Hebrews 13:16
Suffering for doing good--1 Peter 2:20
God does not delight in burnt offerings--Psalm 51:16
Not in the physical strength of a man--Psalm 147:10
Not in those controlled by the sinful nature--Romans 8:8
Not in those who pass judgement on one another--Romans 14:13-18

Purposeful Sin

When we become believers in Jesus Christ, we are justified by the work of God in the death and resurrection of Christ. Our sins are paid for and the righteous sinless life Christ lived is credited to us. We are sanctified by the Spirit of Christ during our remaining life on earth. This is progressive but not completed until we are with God (Phil 1:6). Because of the flesh, it is impossible to completely cease from our sinning (Rom 3:23, 1 John 1:8,9). However, we are called to be holy, as God is holy (Lev 11:44). Thus sanctification, being conformed to the image of Christ, is empowered by God but requires our cooperation.

Sin in our lives can be of two forms(Num 15:22-31): what I would call accidental sin and what I would call purposeful sin. Accidental sin would be sin done in ignorance (ie not knowing that an action is a violation against God) or sin done without forethought (eg hitting one's thumb with a hammer and uttering an expletive). Purposeful sin would be any sin done with forethought either in passive defiance (an example would be knowing God wants me to do something yet refusing to do it) or open or active defiance to God's will. Our inability to stop sinning because of the flesh pertains to accidental sin and continued purposeful sin in our lives is a manifestation of either blatant disobedience, ignorance or unbelief.

God cannot tolerate sin and hates evil. I have been convicted of late that I have rationalized my sin by categorizing it as less severe and therefore not important and allowable. Things like speeding, having an extra glass of wine, and giving too much importance to exercise and sleep have persisted in my life despite my knowledge of God's hatred for sin. What does this mean? If Christ is my Lord, I should be submitting to him in all things. I should not be persisting in purposeful sin. Sure, I will mess up at times, accidently, but Jesus wants all of me. Submitting to the Lordship of Jesus Christ requires a ruthless pursuit of holiness. We must be killing sin, or it will be killing us (John Owen, Mathew Henry. Rom 8:13). Tolerating purposeful sin in my life as at best a grievous insult to God and at worst a manifestation of unbelief. As James said, even the demons believe, but they don't acknowledge and submit to God as Lord (James 2:19).

The ultimate question posed by Jerry Bridges in The Pursuit of Holiness:

Will you decide to obery God in all areas of life, however insignificant the issue may be?



See also this post http://sm--blog.blogspot.com/2008/07/saving-faith.html

A Prayer

I have been praying through a "prayer schedule" I got from a friend. It has been a great blessing to me, and I think God is beginning to change me in the ways requested. He has a lot of work to do, but I am excited and enthusiastic regarding God and his love for me.

Basically, I have been praying daily the following four verses (IOUS):

Incline my heart to your testimonies and not to selfish gain. Turn my eyes from worthless things and give me life in your ways. Ps. 119:36,37

Open my eyes that I may behold the wondrous things in your law. Ps. 119:18

Teach me your ways that I may walk in your truth. Give me an undivided heart that I may fear your name. Ps. 90:14

Satisfy me in the morning with your steadfast love that I may rejoice and be glad all of my days. Ps. 86:11

Encouragement

Psalm 48:14:

For that is what God is like.
He is our God forever and ever,
and he will guide us until we die.

Psalm 46:1-3:

God is our refuge and strength,
always ready to help in times of trouble.
So we will not fear when earthquakes come
and the mountains crumble into the sea.
Let the oceans roar and foam.
Let the mountains tremble as the waters

Psalm 43:5:

Why am I discouraged?
Why is my heart so sad?
I will put my hope in God!
I will praise him again—
my Savior and my God!

Psalm 47:1-2:

Come, everyone! Clap your hands!
Shout to God with joyful praise!
For the Lord Most High is awesome.
He is the great King of all the earth.

Time With God

It's easy for me to get angry at people for their actions. It's not something I am proud to admit. Patience is one of the fruits of the spirit of God and lacking patience says something about me. I have been tired and frustrated with work of late, feeling overwhelmed. Discontentment has been creeping into my attitude and coloring my life and relationships. The seeds of my perspective were sown more than a month ago when I started spending a lot less time with God. Slowly, since then, I have drifted more and more into the world and more and more into dissatisfaction. Funny how that happens. Like it says in Ecclesiastes, life (without God) is meaningless. But, in Christ, I have so much to be grateful for. The last two weeks I have been spending a lot more time in the morning and at night with God. And, I have found the joy, peace and satisfaction in him that can be found no where else. My impatience is beginning to wilt. My worldliness is waning. O Lord, that I may look to you all of my days for my satisfaction. May I turn my eyes away from worthless things. Give me an undivided heart for you that I may reverence your name in all things. Let me guard my time with you ruthlessly that I may not drift away.