Communion with Our Lord

The Bible uses a number of metaphors, analogies, and images to describe spiritual concepts. It takes things we do know and understand and applies it to what is unknown and unseen. One such example is found in John 15 where the Lord describes our communion with him like that of a vine and its branches:

“Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples.” (John 15:4-8)

Though I do not have a green thumb, I understand how a branch receives life from a vine. I look outside my window and see flowering plants, trees, and bushes. I know the essential factors that help them grow and thrive. I understand that a branch cannot grow unattached to the source of its life, nor can it bear fruit.

As a result, this passage helps me understand how I am united to Christ, that he is source of my life and strength. That he feeds me spiritually. That he provides what I need. That only through him, I bear fruit.

And to do so, I need to abide in him.

Sometimes, what gets disconcerting, or troublesome is how my communion with him can seem strong at times, and weak at others. There are times when I am thriving, and other times when I am weak. There are seasons in my life where I sense God’s presence and his work in my life more than at others. There are times when the Lord just seems distant.

One of my favorite little books is the Select Letters of John Newton. My copy is filled with underlining in various colored pens, asterisks marked off to the side, and even folded down pages. These letters were like a pastor’s blog of our day. Newton would pen responses to parishioner’s questions. Often these letters were passed around for the rest of the congregation to read (perhaps not unlike that “share” button on social media). I guess what I love about them is the pastoral tone, the gentleness with which he wrote. I appreciate his understanding of people’s struggles, their questions, and their doubts. Perhaps such compassion grew out of his own experiences of coming to faith—of knowing his desperate need for God’s grace. Like Jesus said of the woman who wiped his feet with her hair, “Therefore I tell you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven—for she loved much. But he who is forgiven little, loves little” (Luke 7:47).

I especially appreciate his letters on the subject of communion with Christ.

In a letter to a parishioner regarding how we maintain our communion, Newton points out that apart from our sin nature, the temptations of the world, and the work of Satan, our communion with God would “be always lively, sensible, and fervent.”[1] We won’t experience that level of communion until heaven. It’s because of our sin and “spiritual pride, indolence, and undue attachment to worldly things, and irregular distempered passions” that the Lord will “increase, suspend, or renew” the feeling and sense of his love and grace.[2] “We grieve his Spirit, and he withdraws; but, by his secret power over our hearts, he makes us sensible of our folly and loss, teaches us to mourn after him, and to entreat his return.” [3]Often, these are lessons we have to learn again and again.

In another letter to a parishioner, Newton advises how to keep close to the Lord, how to abide in him. He offers several ways:

Prayer: Prayer is how we communicate with God. It’s how we respond to what we’ve read in his word. It’s a significant means by which the Lord carries out his will in our lives. Newton suggested praying for humility, calling it “both the guard of all other graces, and the soil in which they grow.” [4]

Scripture: Secondly, Newton points to the importance of reading God’s word. He especially highlights studying the gospel: who Jesus is, what he taught, and what he has done for us in his life, death, and resurrection. Such study “is appointed to form our souls to a spiritual and divine taste; and so far as this prevails and grows in us, the trifles that would draw us from the Lord, will lose their influence, and appear, divested of the glare with which they strike the senses, mere vanity and nothing.”[5]

Consideration: Newton’s last recommendation is to pay close attention to the temptations to which we are both exposed and drawn. He suggests looking ahead in our day to what situations and circumstances we might encounter before us, being watchful for things that might pull us away from our Lord.

While communing and abiding in Christ is something we need to strive and fight for each day, we are not left to our own devices. We have a Savior who not only gives us life in him, he keeps us united to him. As Newton noted, “I trust the Lord, who has given you a desire to live to him, will be your guard and your teacher.”[6]

Lord Jesus, keep us in the vine today.

 *This post contains Amazon affiliate links. To learn more about such links, click here.

[1] p. 24

[2] P. 25

[3] Ibid.

[4] P. 202.

[5] Ibid.

[6] Ibid.

3 Reasons to Read Through Your Bible This Year

With the start of a new year, we often make plans and set goals for what we hope to accomplish over the next twelve months. After all the holiday parties, certainly getting back on track with our diet is top of the list. Maybe next is trying out that new gym around the corner. Perhaps we also want to try a new hobby, read more books, or take a class.

For Christians, we often add to that list of goals something related to reading our Bibles. We know how essential Bible reading is to our faith and we want to be more consistent. Perhaps we received a new devotional or book or bible study for Christmas which we hope will aid us in reaching that goal.

Consistency is hard for all of us. We are fallen people and our hearts are easily distracted and pulled away by lesser things. We should all have a goal to read God’s word each day. It ought to be our goal for every year.

In fact, Bible reading was a goal of mine about a dozen years ago now. While I had read and studied my entire Bible in college (mostly for various classes), I hadn’t read through it since then. I decided that new year I would start in Genesis and read a couple of chapters each day and work my way through the Bible, one book at a time. When December rolled around again, I still had two more books left to read, so I kept on reading until I finished. It took more than a year, but I loved the experience and have been reading through my Bible each year ever since. (Though I now use the M’Cheyne reading schedule.)

Why read through the Bible?

1. You read books of the Bible you might not ordinarily read: Every word in Scripture is inspired and breathed out by God. Every word is useful for “teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness” (2 Timothy 3:16). But we tend to stick with certain books of the Bible. When was the last time you read Leviticus or Obadiah? Whether it’s because they are familiar or easy to understand or for some other preference, we tend to return to the books of the Bible we know, like the gospels or the Psalms. When we do so, we miss out on important teaching from other books. For example, when we skip a book like Leviticus, we miss out on the ways it opens our eyes to see our great need for Jesus.

2. You see how all the books fit together: While there are many different writers of the books in the Bible, there is one author behind them all: God. “For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit” (2 Peter 1:20). As you read through the Bible year after year, you begin to see common threads and themes. You’ll see stories and patterns repeated. From one page to the next, you’ll see just how sinful and broken and desperate we really are. You’ll see God intercede in story after story with his amazing grace. Time and time again, you’ll witness his faithfulness to the faithless. And you’ll marvel at how God pushed forward his plan of redemption, despite the actions of evil kings, wayward idolaters, and dark spiritual forces.

3. You’ll grow to love all of God’s word: We all have favorite verses and passages in Scripture. Those go-to pages that are worn and dog-eared more than others. Those treasures we hide in our heart and repeat to ourselves to bring light to the dark corners of our lives. The more that you read through the Bible, the more you’ll come to love the entirety of it. God’s word will become so familiar to you, you’ll find your own words infused with it. Your thoughts will be shaped by it. And as the Spirit works through those words, your very self will be transformed into the image of the Word, Jesus Christ.

This new year, consider reading through the whole Bible. It’s one goal you’ll want to set on repeat.

This is the Will of God

Over the past year, as my husband considered making a change in employment, I prayed, “Lord, show us your will in this.”

Perhaps you’ve prayed a similar prayer when faced with a big decision in life. Or an uncertain future. Or a season of waiting.

God’s will—as believers, we want to seek after it, follow it, obey it. We want clarity and direction to pursue the will of God. We want to make the “right” choice—whatever it may be. Wanting to do God’s will is a good thing. After all, didn’t our Savior teach us to pray for God’s will to be done on earth as it is in heaven?

The challenge comes in defining what we mean by “knowing God’s will.” For me, when it comes down to it, what I really want to know is the future. I want to know what’s going to happen. I also want to know which option to choose right now in this moment; I don’t want to have to wrestle with it and weigh the pro’s and con’s. I don’t want to make mistakes and have to learn from them. I also don’t like that unsettled feeling in the pit of my stomach as I look to the unknown months and years ahead.

I just want to know.

The truth is, we are not going to know God’s secret will. We aren’t going to know his future plans for us in exact detail. But we can know his will for us in terms of what he calls us to do and how we can honor and glorify him with our lives. He gave us his Word which contains everything he wants us to know.

God’s Will and His Word

So what do we do while we wait? What do we do while we stand at a crossroads and stare at two choices before us? What do we do when we simply don’t know what to do? What do we do when we fear doing the wrong thing?

First, we can pray to know God’s will: “And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him: bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God” (Colossians 1:9-10). We can pray that the Lord would give us discernment. We can pray to grow in spiritual wisdom and understanding. This comes through studying God’s word and learning more about him and his character. The more we know him, the more we know what pleases him. The more we know what pleases him, the more we can walk in his will.

Second, the Bible teaches us that learning God’s will comes through a renewed mind: “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect” (Romans 12:2). How do we renew our minds? We do this by yielding to the Spirit’s refining work in us, by putting off our old self and putting on the new self, and by setting our minds on things of God. We do it by comparing our thoughts to what Scripture teaches and then casting aside everything that does not measure up to it.

We can also seek help and wisdom from the people God has placed in our lives (Proverbs 11:14). As a member of the Body of Christ, we are united to other believers. They have the same Spirit living within them. We can seek out those who are wise in God’s word and receive their help in navigating a difficult decision.

God’s Will for Us

When we are in a season of waiting or when we don’t know what to do, the Bible tells us a few things we can know for certain about God’s will:

1) Nothing can stop or thwart God’s will: “I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me, declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times things not yet done,saying, ‘My counsel shall stand and I will accomplish all my purpose,’” (Isaiah 46:9-10). God’s will always happens; there is nothing we can do to interfere or hinder it. If we choose a job that isn’t a good fit, that is God’s will for us. Even if we make an unwise decision, that too is God’s will. He promises to use every circumstance in our life for our good and his glory, including unwise choices.

2). It is God’s will that we grow in holiness: “For this is the will of God, your sanctification” (1 Thessalonians 4:3). When we find ourselves in a season of uncertainty about the future, when we aren’t sure which direction to turn, when we are waiting on an answer to prayer, we can use that time to yield to the Spirit’s work in us. We can ask ourselves: What might God be teaching me during this season of waiting for wisdom and discernment? What sins might I need to repent of? How might I draw nearer to God and depend upon him during this time?

3). It is God’s will that we give thanks in all things: “…give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you” (1 Thessalonians 5:18). In the midst of making a decision, or waiting for God to move in our life, we can give thanks to the Lord for who he is and what he has done. We can thank him that we know him and that we are known by him. We can thank him for his word. We can thank him for his work in this world and in our lives. No matter the circumstances, there is always something for which to give thanks.

When facing a difficult decision or the uncertainty of the unknown, a friend of mine and I often say to one another, “Praying the prayer that never fails.” This statement comes from Father Tim, the fictional character in the Mitford Series. And what is the prayer that never fails? “Thy will be done.” This is a truth we can cling to in uncertain and confusing times. When we don’t know what to do or which way to turn, when we desire to know God’s will in our circumstances, we can rest in the truth that while we may not know what the future holds, God does and his will always comes to pass.

On Proverbs 31 and the Bride of Christ

What is your initial response when someone teaches or preaches on the famed passage in Proverbs 31? You know, the passage about the woman who works hard, loves her family, and laughs at the future. Are you quick to grab a notebook so you can take notes, hoping to learn how you can be more like her? Or do you perhaps roll your eyes and think, "Here we go again?" Or do you cringe and feel pangs of guilt knowing you are going to fall short of whatever is taught?

I once was asked to speak on this famous chapter and I have to admit, my initial response was hesitation. I remember thinking, “Surely, there’s another passage I could speak on?” And my response made me stop and consider why I felt that way. Maybe it’s because so many women’s ministries are centered around this passage. Or perhaps it’s because Proverbs 31 is treated as one of the “pink passages” in Scripture (as Hannah Anderson would say)—as though the Bible has nothing to say to women anywhere else. Or maybe my heart resists such lists because I know I could never measure up.

But upon further study, I believe there is more hope in this chapter than we think. In fact, I think the final chapter in the book of Proverbs has a lot less to do with us and what we do or don't do, and lot more about what God has done, is doing, and will do in us.

The Context of Proverbs 31

We often open the book of Proverbs and read it as a list of promises. We read words such as "Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it" (Proverbs 22:6) and "The plans of the diligent lead surely to abundance, but everyone who is hasty comes only to poverty" (Proverbs 21:5) and think they are conditional promises, telling us that if we do those things, we will be happy, successful, and have all we've ever wanted.

Yet Proverbs is part of a genre in Scripture called wisdom literature. It is more descriptive rather than prescriptive. It describes things that tend to happen. Much of the time, if we work hard, we will find success. Generally, if you teach a child the right thing to do, they will continue to do the right thing. But it's not a promise. We all know people that no matter how hard they work, they never seem to get ahead in life. We also know people who never worked a day in their life, yet they live in the lap of luxury. And we also know of godly, faithful parents whose children are prodigals.

When it comes to the chapter in question, Proverbs 31 was written by a mother to her son, advising him on what to look for in a wife. It was a list of ideals. It describes a woman who is industrious, works hard, helps her husband, and serves her family. She doesn't depend on her own strength but lives in the fear of the Lord and can therefore laugh at the future to come. This list stands in stark contrast to the description of the adulterous woman in Proverbs 7. It's a good list. Indeed, we should all want and desire to be industrious, loving to our husbands, serving our family, and fearing the Lord.

But dear friends, here's the truth: The Proverbs 31 woman was not a real person. She didn't exist.

But one day, she will.

Jesus and Proverbs 31

All of Scripture is about Jesus and the book of Proverbs is no exception. Jesus himself said, "These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you, that everything written about me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled” (Luke 24:44). Jesus is wisdom incarnate. He is the book of Proverbs wrapped in flesh; he is the perfect fulfillment of all that Proverbs teaches us. He is the only wise God, "in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge" (Colossians 2:3).

This Wisdom, Jesus, answers the question Proverbs 31 asks, "an excellent wife, who can find?" He has found her. He is making her. He is preparing a Bride, the church. As Ephesians tells us, "...Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish" (Ephesians 5:25-27).

If you tend to read Proverbs 31 and treat it like a to-do list, you may grow weary and tired and discouraged when you fail. If you look at Proverbs 31 and simply give up in hopelessness because you know you can never measure up, there is great hope for you. If you ignore the Proverbs 31 woman altogether because you've been compared to her for far too long, cringe no more.

Friends, Jesus has bought us and redeemed us. He has chosen us as his Bride. He has clothed us in a brilliant white gown of his own righteousness. He is right now making us new. He is shaping us and molding us into the Bride we were created to be. In this life, we'll see glimpses of her. We will see her industriousness, her love for her family, and her service to others as the Spirit works in us to refine, change, and transform us. But one day, the Bridegroom will return. That will be the day of the great Wedding Feast where we will be presented before the King as holy and blameless.

On that day, we will finally be the Bride described in Proverbs 31.

So read Proverbs 31 with joy, gratitude, and anticipation. Rejoice that your Bridegroom has answered the question, "an excellent wife, who can find?" For through Christ, she has been found in us, the Bride, the Church.

Blessed Assurance

Since I began blogging (almost fifteen years ago!), I’ve received emails and messages from readers. One common message I receive is from readers expressing concerns over the security of their faith. They may be going through a season of doubt and wonder if their faith is genuine. Or they might be crying out to God in prayer and don’t sense his presence in the same way they used to. Or they may be struggling with temptations to sin and wonder if it means that they aren’t truly saved. Whatever the reason, assurance of faith is something all believers wrestle with, asking themselves, “how do I know if I am truly saved?”

In recent months, we’ve read in the blogosphere and on social media of well-known Christians who have walked away from their faith. Whenever this happens, it can prompt believers to ask themselves—can this happen to me? Is my faith secure? These are good and important questions and the Bible provides an answer to them.

There are a number of passages that teach about the assurance we have as believers. One of them is found in the book of John:

“My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand. I and the Father are one.” John 10:27-30

Writers are often told by editors to limit their use of adverbs. In the case of this passage, the phrase “never perish” in the Greek is written in the strongest denial. We might consider it an overload of adverbs as in “they will most definitely never ever perish.” [1]And why could Jesus say such a thing so emphatically? Because God the Father is greater than all. Whatever he wills always comes to pass. He gave his chosen ones to Christ and because Christ is one with the Father, no one can snatch them out of his hands.

As John Calvin wrote concerning this passage: “It is an inestimable fruit of faith, that Christ bids us be convinced of our security when we are brought by faith into his fold. But we must also observe on what foundation this certainty rests. It is because he will be a faithful guardian of our salvation, for he testifies that our salvation is in his hand. And if this were not enough, he says that they will be safely guarded by the power of his Father. This is a remarkable passage, by which we are taught that the salvation of all the elect is not less certain than the power of God is invincible.”

What good news for those who face doubts and questions about their faith! What good news for those who stumble into sin and wonder if it means that they are lost from God forever! What good news for those who feel weak in their faith! As the Westminster Confession tells us: “They whom God hath accepted in his Beloved, effectually called and sanctified by his Spirit, can neither totally nor finally fall away from the state of grace; but shall certainly persevere therein to the end, and be eternally saved.”

Theologians refer to the assurance and confidence we have as believers as perseverance of the saints. Such perseverance refers to the persevering grace of God at work in the elect. What this means is, if God has called someone to faith—if God has brought a person from death to life through the power of the Spirit—they will surely have eternal life. It is God’s divine grace which saves us; it is his divine grace which perseveres us to the end. As Paul wrote, “And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified” (Romans 8:30).

Because we live in a fallen world, and because we continue to battle sin in our lives, there are times in our Christian lives when we may wander from God. We may have doubts about our faith. We may give in to temptation to sin, as David did. We may even, like Peter, deny Christ. The Westminster Confession speaks to this as well: “Nevertheless they may, through the temptations of Satan and of the world, the prevalency of corruption remaining in them, and the neglect of the means of their preservation, fall into grievous sins; and for a time continue therein: whereby they incur God’s displeasure, and grieve his Holy Spirit; come to be deprived of some measure of their graces and comforts; have their hearts hardened, and their consciences wounded; hurt and scandalize others,hand bring temporal judgments upon themselves.”

Because we are God’s children, he will discipline us (see Hebrews 12). We will experience consequences for our sins. As a result of such sin, we can expect to feel the distance between us and God as David did in Psalm 51. But for those who are truly God’s children, he will restore us and bring us back to himself. For nothing and no one can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord (Romans 8:39).

Dear believer, if you are in Christ, you have the assurance of faith. You have the blessed assurance that you will remain in Christ to the end. No one can snatch you from the Father’s hand. You rest there safe and secure. Rejoice in this today!

[1] I am thankful to Prof. Anderson at RTS for this insight.

Blessed in Christ

Have you ever seen the hashtag #blessed? People often add it to the end of social media posts. It’s a way of showing gratitude for the good things in life. Where they think such blessings come from is another matter altogether.

The Bible uses the word “blessed” too. It means means to give praise. And when the Bible uses the word “blessed,” it uses it in reference to God. After all, it is God who created and sustains all things. All good things come from his hand alone. That’s why the psalmist wrote, “Blessed are those who dwell in your house, ever singing your praise!” (Psalm 84:4).

For the believer, we are indeed “blessed.” In Ephesians 1:3-14, Paul wrote a list of all the blessings we have as Christians. This list is actually a doxology and in the Greek is written as one very long sentence. In verse 3, Paul uses three forms of the word blessed: “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places.”

What are those blessings?

• he chose us in Christ (v.4)

• to be holy and blameless (v.4)

• he predestined us for adoption (v.5)

• we have the blessings of his grace (v.6)

• we have redemption in Christ (v.7)

• we have forgiveness of sins (v.7)

• he’s revealed to us the mystery of Christ (v.9)

• we have an inheritance (v.11)

• we are the praise of his glory (v.12)

• we have the gift of the Holy Spirit (v.13)

No wonder Paul wrote this passage as a doxology of praise! What a litany of gifts we’ve received through Christ! Doesn’t make you want to respond in a song of praise of your own?

Not only are we blessed in Christ, we are rich in Christ. “In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight.” In Christ, God pours down his riches of grace upon us. Before he spun this blue marble into space, before the very first sunrise, God chose us to be his children. He sent his son to rescue and redeem us from sin. He gave us his Spirit to live within us. And he’s made us his heirs. We are rich beyond measure through our union with Christ!

As you scroll through social media and see posts tagged with #blessed, you may look at the vacation photos, the newly acquired material possessions, the seemingly happy faces and think that your life is not #blessed in comparison. Open up God’s word and read through Ephesians 1. There you will see, you are indeed #blessed beyond measure. You are blessed with a rich inheritance that will outlast anything on this earth. You are beloved and known by the God of the universe. You are his child, redeemed with a purpose.

So let us do as Paul calls us to do, respond in praise, blessing the One who has #blessed us with all the spiritual blessings in Christ.