We have all been in church long enough to have heard that old cliché one hundred times over that God knows everything we think, hears everything we say, and sees everything we do because He is always with us. Yet, if we are honest with ourselves, most of us do not truly believe that. We may believe it with our heads but not with our hearts. Otherwise, it would impact the way we live.
We can hear a truth one hundred times over and yet never have a full or proper understanding of that truth. The reason is because a little “tick” has burrowed its way inside our skulls and every time we hear one of those old truths or clichés, the tick begins to gnaw on our brain. The tick seems to distract us from ever grasping the depth of the truth that we are hearing.
The lyrics to this song by Nichole Nordeman illustrate pretty nicely what it means for God to be at our sides in every moment of life:
When we are in pain, do we not think that God feels that pain? That He shares that pain? Because we are ignorant* human beings, we often question God. “If He feels my pain, why doesn’t He do something about it?” We have this false notion that everything here is about us. We think that we are the center of the universe. We are not. We are nothing. We are but dust. We are a vapour that lasts but a moment. Everything that happens happens for God’s glory, whether we understand and accept that or not. While we may not see the big picture now, everything that happens to us God is working together for our good. We will see it all in the end.
Another old cliché is that the blood of Jesus Christ covers our sins. We cannot truly believe it until it grasps our hearts. Read the following story shared by Joshua Harris in his book I Kissed Dating Goodbye. This will paint a pretty good picture of what it means to be covered by the blood of Jesus Christ:
Here is the bigger question—the multi-million-dollar question. Are you ready to die? Have you truly found that Treasure that is worth far more than any other treasure on Earth? What does that Treasure mean to you?
If death came knocking on your door tonight through the venue of persecution because of your faith, how would you look it in the eye? If one of the aforementioned deaths was to be your death, how would you fare? Would your eyes gaze toward heaven with expectant hope of the joy that will soon be yours? Would you die this death for the life you will receive? Or would you deny Him to save yourself, thereby losing your life for eternity?
Death is inevitable for all of us. We are part of the great statistic. 10 out of 10 people die. While we would all like to die in a cozy manner, such as in our sleep, such will not always be the case. We can look at church history and see how the apostles, the early church fathers, and many other Christians were martyred for their faith. We can look at any region of the globe today and see how Christians are martyred for their faith. It is coming quickly to North America, and faster than we may expect. Are we ready for what Christ promised would be ours?
Every year you hear the same old story around Easter time. What does that mean for you? Do you believe it merely with your head, which will turn out to be your eternal death? or do you believe it with your heart, which is the reason for the hope that lies within you? If one of the aforementioned deaths has your name on it, you look toward heaven with your eyes fixed on Christ Jesus because He died for, and because of, your sins, being buried and having risen three days later. If He is risen, then we have hope because He will raise us also to be with Him.
We will live mundane lives until these truths have been grasped in our hearts and we truly believe them. Then will the joy of our salvation and our hope come alive within us. We will understand and appreciate what has been done for us, and no matter what happens here on Earth, we will be filled with that great joy and hope that comes from faith in Christ and living life by that faith.
Faith is the key, but that faith needs be placed correctly. Misplaced faith still leads to death. Muslims put faith in their works, Mohammed the false prophet, and Allah the demon god, yet they will die in their sins. Mormons put faith in their works and in Joseph Smith, claiming his blood was shed so that they could become gods, yet they will die in their sins. Jehovah’s Witnesses put faith in their works and in Charles Russell and the Watch Tower Society, yet they will die in their sins. Catholics put faith in the pope, in Mary, in the church, and in their works, yet they will die in their sins. Many Protestants put faith in having prayed a prayer, signed a card or having went to church all their life, yet they will die in their sins. Jesus and the apostles had one answer to the question, “How can I be saved?” The answer is to, “Repent and believe.” Repent toward God (make a U-turn in life; stop committing your sins and turn to God) and believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and His work on the cross (trust in Him the way you would trust a parachute to save your life). Before you can do that accurately, you need to see just how vile and wretched a sinner you truly are and how much you need a Saviour. So that you can see yourself in the mirror of God’s Word, read my article titled “The Gospel.”
*Ignorance does not in any way, shape, or form denote or connote stupidity. The literalness of a word is its denotation; the broader associations we have with a word are its connotations. “A person can be ignorant (not knowing some fact or idea) without being stupid (incapable of learning because of a basic mental deficiency). And those who say, ‘That’s an ignorant idea’ when they mean ‘stupid idea’ are expressing their own ignorance.” (Paul Brians, Common Errors in English Usage, posted on <http://public.wsu.edu/~brians/errors/ignorant.html>).
“For as a man thinks in his heart, so is he.” Proverbs 23:7You act the way you act because you believe the way you believe. You behave the way you behave because you think the way you think. How you believe determines what you do. Correct belief and correct thinking will result in correct action.
We can hear a truth one hundred times over and yet never have a full or proper understanding of that truth. The reason is because a little “tick” has burrowed its way inside our skulls and every time we hear one of those old truths or clichés, the tick begins to gnaw on our brain. The tick seems to distract us from ever grasping the depth of the truth that we are hearing.
The lyrics to this song by Nichole Nordeman illustrate pretty nicely what it means for God to be at our sides in every moment of life:
Pencil marks on the wall, I wasn’t always this tallI have not lived a life like some have lived, with drugs and violence and what not, but the hard times that I have faced in my life, God has been there beside me through every single one of them. When I was filled with immense pain, I am sure He was not indifferent to the circumstance, thinking to Himself, “Meh.” Zephaniah 3:17, paraphrased, says that when a thought of us enters God’s mind, He sings over us with joy; and there is not a single moment that we are not in His thoughts.
You scattered the monsters from beneath my bed
You watched my team win
You watched my team lose
You watched when my bicycle went down again
And when I was weak, unable to speak
Still I could call You by name
And I said, Elbow Healer, Superhero
Come if You can
You said, I Am
Only sixteen, life is so mean
What kind of curfew is at 10pm?
You saw my mistakes
And watched my heart break
Heard when I swore I’d never love again
And when I was weak, unable to speak
Still I could call You by name
And I said, Heartache Healer, Secret Keeper
Be my best friend
And you said, I Am
You saw me wear white by pale candlelight
I said forever to what lies ahead
Two kids and a dream, with kids that can scream
Too much it might seem when it is 2am
And when I am weak, unable to speak
Still I can call You by name
Shepherd, Savior, Pasture Maker
Hold onto my hand
You say, I Am
The winds of change and circumstance blow in and all around us
So we find a foothold that’s familiar
And bless the moments that we feel You nearer
When life had begun, I was woven and spun
You let the angels dance around the throne
And who can say when, but they’ll dance again
When I am free and finally headed home
I will be weak, unable to speak
Still I will call You by name
Creator, Maker, Life Sustainer
Comforter, Healer, my Redeemer
Lord and King, Beginning and the End
I Am
Yes, I Am
When we are in pain, do we not think that God feels that pain? That He shares that pain? Because we are ignorant* human beings, we often question God. “If He feels my pain, why doesn’t He do something about it?” We have this false notion that everything here is about us. We think that we are the center of the universe. We are not. We are nothing. We are but dust. We are a vapour that lasts but a moment. Everything that happens happens for God’s glory, whether we understand and accept that or not. While we may not see the big picture now, everything that happens to us God is working together for our good. We will see it all in the end.
Another old cliché is that the blood of Jesus Christ covers our sins. We cannot truly believe it until it grasps our hearts. Read the following story shared by Joshua Harris in his book I Kissed Dating Goodbye. This will paint a pretty good picture of what it means to be covered by the blood of Jesus Christ:
In that place between wakefulness and dreams, I found myself in the room. There were no distinguishing features save for the one wall covered with small index-card files. They were like the ones in libraries that list titles by author or subject in alphabetical order. But these files, which stretched from floor to ceiling and seemingly endless in either direction, had very different headings. As I drew near the wall of files, the first to catch my attention was one that read “Girls I Have Liked.” I opened it and began flipping through the cards. I quickly shut it, shocked to realize that I recognized the names written on each one.The last cliché I’d like to discuss is one that most people do not want to face. The one most are not ready for and do not have an answer for, even though they claim the name of Christ. Out of the several thousand ways it could be done, how would you like to die? Most of us have never pondered that thought. When persecution comes knocking on your door because of your faith, what could your death possibly look like?
And then without being told, I knew exactly where I was. This lifeless room with its small files was a catalogue system for my life. Here were written the actions of my every moment, big and small, in a detail my memory couldn’t match.
A sense of wonder and curiosity, coupled with horror, stirred within me as I began randomly opening files and exploring their contents. Some brought joy and sweet memories; others a sense of shame and regret so intense that I would look over my shoulder to see if anyone was watching. A file named “Friends” was next to one marked “Friends I Have Betrayed.”
The titles ranged from the mundane to the outright weird. “Books I Have Read,” “Lies I Have Told,” “Comfort I Have Given,” “Jokes I Have Laughed At.” Some were almost hilarious in their exactness: “Things I’ve Yelled At My Brothers.” Others I couldn’t laugh at: “Things I Have Done In Anger,” “Things I Have Muttered Under My Breath At My Parents.” I never ceased to be surprised by the contents. Often there were many more cards than I expected. Sometimes there were fewer than I hoped.
I was overwhelmed by the sheer volume of my life I had lived. Could it be possible that I had the time in my twenty years to write each of these thousands, possibly millions, of cards? But each confirmed this truth. Each was written in my handwriting. Each signed with my signature.
When I pulled out the file marked “Songs I Have Listened To,” I realized the files grew to contain their contents. The cards were packed tightly, and yet after two or three yards, I hadn’t found the end of the file. I shut it, shamed, not so much by the quality of music, but more by the vast amount of time I knew that file represented.
When I came to a file marked “Lustful Thoughts,” I felt a chill run through my body. I pulled the file out only and inch, not willing to test its size, and drew out a card. I shuddered at its detailed contents. I felt sick to think that such a moment had been recorded.
Suddenly I felt an almost animal rage. One thought dominated my mind: “No one must ever see these cards! No one must ever see this room! I have to destroy them!” In an insane frenzy I yanked the file out. Its size didn’t matter now. I had to empty it and burn the cards. But as I took the file at one end and began pounding it on the floor, I could not dislodge a single card. I became desperate and pulled out a card, only to find it as strong as steel when I tried to tear it.
Defeated and utterly helpless, I returned the file to its slot. Leaning my forehead against the wall, I let out a long, self-pitying sigh. And then I saw it. The title bore “People I Have Shared The Gospel With.” The handle was brighter than those around it, newer, almost unused. I pulled on its handle and a small box not more than three inches long fell into my hands. I could count the cards it contained on one hand.
And then the tears came. I began to weep. Sobs so deep that the hurt started in my stomach and shook through me. I fell on my knees and cried. I cried out of shame, from the overwhelming shame of it all. The rows of file shelves swirled in my tear-filled eyes. No one must ever, ever know of this room. I must lock it up and hide the key. But then as I pushed away the tears, I saw Him. No, please not Him. Not here. Oh, anyone but Jesus.
I watched helplessly as He began to open the files and read the cards. I couldn’t bear to watch His response. And in the moments I could bring myself to look at His face, I saw a sorrow deeper than my own. He seemed to intuitively go to the worst boxes. Why did He have to read every one?
Finally He turned and looked at me from across the room. He looked at me with pity in His eyes. But this was a pity that didn’t anger me. I dropped my head, covered my face with my hands and began to cry again. He walked over and put His arm around me. He could have said so many things. But He didn’t say a word. He just cried with me.
Then He got up and walked back to the wall of files. Starting at one end of the room, He took out a file and, one by one, began to sign His name over mine on each card.
“No!” I shouted, rushing to Him. All I could find to say was “No, no,” as I pulled the card from Him. His name shouldn’t be on these cards. But there it was, written in red so rich, so dark, so alive. The name of Jesus covered mine. It was written with His blood.
He gently took the card back. He smiled a sad smile and continued to sign the cards. I don’t think I’ll ever understand how He did it so quickly, but the next instant it seemed I heard Him close the last file and walk back to my side. He placed His hand on my shoulder and said, “It is finished.” I stood up, and He led me out of the room. There was no lock on its door. There were still cards to be written.
- Would you be staked to a post, tarred, and lit on fire as a torch?
- Would you be sewn inside the carcass of a dead animal and thrown to hungry lions?
- Would you be held at gun point and told to spit on the Bible and denounce Christ?
- Would you be tied up and tortured with individual fingers being cut off one by one until you denounced Christ?
- Would you be thrown into prison and knifed by someone who does not like the fact you told them they are going to hell?
- Would you be bludgeoned to the head as you were getting into your car by someone who did not like the fact you shared the gospel with them?
- Would you be dunked in a vat of feces and urine until you drowned?
Here is the bigger question—the multi-million-dollar question. Are you ready to die? Have you truly found that Treasure that is worth far more than any other treasure on Earth? What does that Treasure mean to you?
“For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for My sake shall find it.” Matthew 16:25While no one desires to die in any of the aforementioned manners, and while there would definitely be fear if such were the case, nevertheless it begs the question, “Are you ready?” If you belong to Christ, your life is forfeit for His name and glory. Is He truly your joy and hope? Is He truly your treasure?
If death came knocking on your door tonight through the venue of persecution because of your faith, how would you look it in the eye? If one of the aforementioned deaths was to be your death, how would you fare? Would your eyes gaze toward heaven with expectant hope of the joy that will soon be yours? Would you die this death for the life you will receive? Or would you deny Him to save yourself, thereby losing your life for eternity?
Death is inevitable for all of us. We are part of the great statistic. 10 out of 10 people die. While we would all like to die in a cozy manner, such as in our sleep, such will not always be the case. We can look at church history and see how the apostles, the early church fathers, and many other Christians were martyred for their faith. We can look at any region of the globe today and see how Christians are martyred for their faith. It is coming quickly to North America, and faster than we may expect. Are we ready for what Christ promised would be ours?
“If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you.” John 15:18They hate us because we bear, or we are supposed to if we belong to Him, His image. They hated Him for Who He was. They will hate us because we look like Him. Their hatred of Him killed His messengers, the prophets and apostles. For the last two thousand years we have seen what their hatred of Him does to us who are being conformed to His likeness. Their hatred will be kindled against us and no fairy tale will save us. Are we ready to face such deaths if that is the Lord’s will for our lives? Is He truly our hope and our treasure? That is what Paul meant when he said, “For to me to live is Christ and to die is gain.” It is beneficial if we remain in this world, but it is far better when we are at home with the Lord.
Every year you hear the same old story around Easter time. What does that mean for you? Do you believe it merely with your head, which will turn out to be your eternal death? or do you believe it with your heart, which is the reason for the hope that lies within you? If one of the aforementioned deaths has your name on it, you look toward heaven with your eyes fixed on Christ Jesus because He died for, and because of, your sins, being buried and having risen three days later. If He is risen, then we have hope because He will raise us also to be with Him.
We will live mundane lives until these truths have been grasped in our hearts and we truly believe them. Then will the joy of our salvation and our hope come alive within us. We will understand and appreciate what has been done for us, and no matter what happens here on Earth, we will be filled with that great joy and hope that comes from faith in Christ and living life by that faith.
Faith is the key, but that faith needs be placed correctly. Misplaced faith still leads to death. Muslims put faith in their works, Mohammed the false prophet, and Allah the demon god, yet they will die in their sins. Mormons put faith in their works and in Joseph Smith, claiming his blood was shed so that they could become gods, yet they will die in their sins. Jehovah’s Witnesses put faith in their works and in Charles Russell and the Watch Tower Society, yet they will die in their sins. Catholics put faith in the pope, in Mary, in the church, and in their works, yet they will die in their sins. Many Protestants put faith in having prayed a prayer, signed a card or having went to church all their life, yet they will die in their sins. Jesus and the apostles had one answer to the question, “How can I be saved?” The answer is to, “Repent and believe.” Repent toward God (make a U-turn in life; stop committing your sins and turn to God) and believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and His work on the cross (trust in Him the way you would trust a parachute to save your life). Before you can do that accurately, you need to see just how vile and wretched a sinner you truly are and how much you need a Saviour. So that you can see yourself in the mirror of God’s Word, read my article titled “The Gospel.”
*Ignorance does not in any way, shape, or form denote or connote stupidity. The literalness of a word is its denotation; the broader associations we have with a word are its connotations. “A person can be ignorant (not knowing some fact or idea) without being stupid (incapable of learning because of a basic mental deficiency). And those who say, ‘That’s an ignorant idea’ when they mean ‘stupid idea’ are expressing their own ignorance.” (Paul Brians, Common Errors in English Usage, posted on <http://public.wsu.edu/~brians/errors/ignorant.html>).