Every thought captive...
Without faith, it is impossible to please God.
Some time ago, God spoke with a man and told him to go to a country that He would show him. He told him that he would become great and that his descendants would number as the sand on the seashore. He promised that through him, all of the nations of the world would be blessed. We are later told that this man believed in the promise and that he was justified by his faith. “He staggered not at the promise of God in unbelief.”
The book of Hebrews gives us an account of some of the wonderful expressions of godly men and women who, like Abraham, believed in the promises of God. Their faith enabled them to perform great and mighty things, and while some were destroyed by wicked men for their efforts, the fact remained that the world was not worthy to receive them.
Without faith, it is impossible to please God.
Churches abound in every city and in some cases, every block. Scores of professing saints flock into homes, old church buildings, cathedrals, warehouses, etc and claim that they believe the gospel and profess faith in God. I am always grateful when Christ is preached, and when he is preached, I rejoice, yea, and do rejoice. Yet, I judge their fruits and find that some of them are really odious. I am skeptical and sometimes irritated by much that I see in this army of God, for I fear that we have forgot what our ensign is. We have love sight of the banner. Banners and ensigns are kind of old relics, and we are told that we need to be relevant for postmodern minds, so we come up with purposeful schemes, flashy bands, and even coffee houses so that we can really be comfortable as we head out to battle. The world doesn't care much for the Man on the white house with the flashing eyes and the sword in His mouth. They prefer only the blue eyed man in the paintings with the soft expression in his eyes and the sheep on his shoulder. "Consider both the goodness and severity of God."
Without faith, it is impossible to please God. It would be difficult to leave our homes and to follow after a promise. Faith gives evidence to things not seen, and provides substance to things hoped for. Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him for righteousness. But what can we hope in? We are perplexed daily by such questions Some say that the rapture cometh. Beware, and don’t polish the brass on a sinking ship. The wicked are waxing worse and worse. Some turn to the prayer of Jabez and others decided that they need to be filled with purpose. Many are buying into every religious fad and a few are chuckling as they run to the bank. The world looks on, points, and laughs. John the Baptist was to be feared. The king shook at the thought of him. John Knox feared not to pester the wicked queen. The courts was disturbed. The world today sighs and relaxes. “We need not fear them,” they think, “for they dwell among us. They have married our sons and daughters, buy our crummy music and watch our lewd films, and really seem a lot like of us. (Oh, they did vote for Bush, though. I guess they thing his party will save them)”
The church needs to be reunited with the gospel. We have hope in the glorious promises of the gospel. God has established his church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. The church is a mighty army, marching as to war. Sometimes, we are not like Abraham and we really do not believe that through the preaching of the gospel, that the whole world shall be blessed. We cannot grasp that God is building His Kingdom and that all honor and glory has been bestowed upon King Jesus, who reigns on His right hand waiting as His enemies are made His footstool. He has given His army weapons, but “the weapons of our warfare are not carnal.” We need not trust in chariots and horses. Not even in helicopters and tanks. But our weapons are “mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God.“
This is starting to sound exciting! Do you mean that we, the church, can by His grace and truth advance against the darkness of this world? Does this mean that we can truly be light and salt? Can the gospel of Christ truly overcome the wicked one? Can truth overthrow the idols? Christ has crushed the head of the serpent and He has conquered death. He has poured out His spirit among his chosen vessels and they are preaching a powerful gospel. Oh, there are some who have set it aside, for the gold is heavy and offensive. The fool‘s gold is bright and shiny, and is not nearly so heavy to carry. The iron pyrite does not nearly have such an impact upon us. It changes us little and we can be like them.
Some have not bowed the knee to Baal, and they are laboring in the gospel with delight. They carry the banner and ensign of their King and Savior. They acknowledge him as their Lord and they believe that the gates of hell will not prevail against the church. They know there is much work to be done.
I think of the prophet who spoke of the water pouring out of the temple. It was only ankle deep. Rivers of life giving water are flowing from this temple that was destroyed, but in three days was rebuilt. Those that are drinking from this water never thirst again. The prophet travels a 1000 cubits, and another line is drawn. The water is now up to the knees, but still the prophet travels on. Another 1000 cubits and the water is now waste high. Finally, the water is deep. It’s covering everything and the prophet finds that he now has to swim. The Spirit of God is stretching flesh and sinew upon the very old and dry bones that are in the valley and they are worshipping God. The small rock that shattered the kingdoms of clay, brass, silver, and gold is becoming a great mountain in the earth. The saints of the Lord rejoice, and are glad.
I am not sure how deep the water is 2005, but I know that it is much deeper than when the disciples ran out of the garden. It is deeper than it was when Luther was writing some objections to the church. The light of the gospel is encircling the world. There is a lot of work to do, but I have faith in God and in the power of His Word. Finally, we are told that this gospel is “ bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ.” This gospel is casting down the strongholds and shredding the vain arguments. This gospel is even laying its grasp upon every thought. I trust that we love His Word and that we love our King. “If you love me, keep my commandments.” It is time that we ask the question, “How then should we live?”
We wish to cast down our pagan temples and we must begin considering how we should live in light of the Word of God. We must erect biblical screens through which we filter every aspect of our life. Let us take our instruction from the two testaments of the Scriptures and allow our subscriptions to “Fashion”, “Vogue”, and “The Wall Street Journal” to expire. I am not sure that we will find much help there. Let us bend the knee before our king and let us desire that our every deed, our every word, and our every thought be held captive to His will.
Christ is our King - and He shall do valiantly. Hear ye Him!
Some time ago, God spoke with a man and told him to go to a country that He would show him. He told him that he would become great and that his descendants would number as the sand on the seashore. He promised that through him, all of the nations of the world would be blessed. We are later told that this man believed in the promise and that he was justified by his faith. “He staggered not at the promise of God in unbelief.”
The book of Hebrews gives us an account of some of the wonderful expressions of godly men and women who, like Abraham, believed in the promises of God. Their faith enabled them to perform great and mighty things, and while some were destroyed by wicked men for their efforts, the fact remained that the world was not worthy to receive them.
Without faith, it is impossible to please God.
Churches abound in every city and in some cases, every block. Scores of professing saints flock into homes, old church buildings, cathedrals, warehouses, etc and claim that they believe the gospel and profess faith in God. I am always grateful when Christ is preached, and when he is preached, I rejoice, yea, and do rejoice. Yet, I judge their fruits and find that some of them are really odious. I am skeptical and sometimes irritated by much that I see in this army of God, for I fear that we have forgot what our ensign is. We have love sight of the banner. Banners and ensigns are kind of old relics, and we are told that we need to be relevant for postmodern minds, so we come up with purposeful schemes, flashy bands, and even coffee houses so that we can really be comfortable as we head out to battle. The world doesn't care much for the Man on the white house with the flashing eyes and the sword in His mouth. They prefer only the blue eyed man in the paintings with the soft expression in his eyes and the sheep on his shoulder. "Consider both the goodness and severity of God."
Without faith, it is impossible to please God. It would be difficult to leave our homes and to follow after a promise. Faith gives evidence to things not seen, and provides substance to things hoped for. Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him for righteousness. But what can we hope in? We are perplexed daily by such questions Some say that the rapture cometh. Beware, and don’t polish the brass on a sinking ship. The wicked are waxing worse and worse. Some turn to the prayer of Jabez and others decided that they need to be filled with purpose. Many are buying into every religious fad and a few are chuckling as they run to the bank. The world looks on, points, and laughs. John the Baptist was to be feared. The king shook at the thought of him. John Knox feared not to pester the wicked queen. The courts was disturbed. The world today sighs and relaxes. “We need not fear them,” they think, “for they dwell among us. They have married our sons and daughters, buy our crummy music and watch our lewd films, and really seem a lot like of us. (Oh, they did vote for Bush, though. I guess they thing his party will save them)”
The church needs to be reunited with the gospel. We have hope in the glorious promises of the gospel. God has established his church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. The church is a mighty army, marching as to war. Sometimes, we are not like Abraham and we really do not believe that through the preaching of the gospel, that the whole world shall be blessed. We cannot grasp that God is building His Kingdom and that all honor and glory has been bestowed upon King Jesus, who reigns on His right hand waiting as His enemies are made His footstool. He has given His army weapons, but “the weapons of our warfare are not carnal.” We need not trust in chariots and horses. Not even in helicopters and tanks. But our weapons are “mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God.“
This is starting to sound exciting! Do you mean that we, the church, can by His grace and truth advance against the darkness of this world? Does this mean that we can truly be light and salt? Can the gospel of Christ truly overcome the wicked one? Can truth overthrow the idols? Christ has crushed the head of the serpent and He has conquered death. He has poured out His spirit among his chosen vessels and they are preaching a powerful gospel. Oh, there are some who have set it aside, for the gold is heavy and offensive. The fool‘s gold is bright and shiny, and is not nearly so heavy to carry. The iron pyrite does not nearly have such an impact upon us. It changes us little and we can be like them.
Some have not bowed the knee to Baal, and they are laboring in the gospel with delight. They carry the banner and ensign of their King and Savior. They acknowledge him as their Lord and they believe that the gates of hell will not prevail against the church. They know there is much work to be done.
I think of the prophet who spoke of the water pouring out of the temple. It was only ankle deep. Rivers of life giving water are flowing from this temple that was destroyed, but in three days was rebuilt. Those that are drinking from this water never thirst again. The prophet travels a 1000 cubits, and another line is drawn. The water is now up to the knees, but still the prophet travels on. Another 1000 cubits and the water is now waste high. Finally, the water is deep. It’s covering everything and the prophet finds that he now has to swim. The Spirit of God is stretching flesh and sinew upon the very old and dry bones that are in the valley and they are worshipping God. The small rock that shattered the kingdoms of clay, brass, silver, and gold is becoming a great mountain in the earth. The saints of the Lord rejoice, and are glad.
I am not sure how deep the water is 2005, but I know that it is much deeper than when the disciples ran out of the garden. It is deeper than it was when Luther was writing some objections to the church. The light of the gospel is encircling the world. There is a lot of work to do, but I have faith in God and in the power of His Word. Finally, we are told that this gospel is “ bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ.” This gospel is casting down the strongholds and shredding the vain arguments. This gospel is even laying its grasp upon every thought. I trust that we love His Word and that we love our King. “If you love me, keep my commandments.” It is time that we ask the question, “How then should we live?”
We wish to cast down our pagan temples and we must begin considering how we should live in light of the Word of God. We must erect biblical screens through which we filter every aspect of our life. Let us take our instruction from the two testaments of the Scriptures and allow our subscriptions to “Fashion”, “Vogue”, and “The Wall Street Journal” to expire. I am not sure that we will find much help there. Let us bend the knee before our king and let us desire that our every deed, our every word, and our every thought be held captive to His will.
Christ is our King - and He shall do valiantly. Hear ye Him!
posted by bob | 8:44 PM
1 Comments:
Thoughtful post Bob. Thanks for writing it. The scriptures say, some will trust in chariots, some in horses, but I'll trust in the Lord my God. And we do have the glorious hope of a world remade in the image of God, Christ Jesus died to save the "world". It is our responsibility as Christians to work along side Him, restoring Paradise. There is not one square inch of the universe King Jesus doesn't claim as "mine".
It is a wonderful assurance that as His joint heirs we will share in His glorious work!
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