God Supplies Every Need

“My God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.” –Philippians 4:19

Paul was in prison, and the Philippian church had concern and sent Epaphroditus with gifts for Paul (vs 18). Paul recalled how this church was the only church supporting him in Macedonia (vs 15) and met his needs when he was in Thessalonica (vs 16). Such care, sharing in Paul’s trouble, was a “sacrifice acceptable and pleasing to God” (vs 18).

All this having told the Philippian church how God taught Paul how to be satisfied when brought low or abounding, in times of plenty or hungry, abundance and in need (vs 11-12). It is here Paul reminds this church that God will take care of their future needs. This promise is in the context where Paul said before, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God” (vs 6).

Anxiety in my heart is washed away by the mighty tides of content in the supply of God, making known my need as a request. God knows what I need. He knows what others in my church family needs. Jesus commands the church to love one another, an action of caring for each other in our needs. It is a gracious thing to share in someone else’s trouble, just like the Philippians shared in Paul’s trouble.

A local church is blessed in her care for the needs of missionaries, sharing in their trouble. Such blessing also comes in her care for her shepherds (ITimothy 5:17-18). Furthermore, such care for one another in the church is that added blessing since such actions and care pleases God (Hebrews 13:16).

Look at Paul’s benediction again. Imprisoned, Paul could not pay back the gifts he received. He assured them God Himself, who is pleased with their sacrifice, will supply their needs according to the inexhaustible riches in glory that is ours as believers in Christ Jesus.

The Lord may not supply every want, but He will supply every need. The sharing in need and in trouble, carrying one another’s burdens, reveals God is rich in glory. He is the Supplier when I receive gifts and when I give gifts. Such sacrifices are like the thanksgiving sacrifices made to God in Psalm 50, when the Lord says, “call upon Me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you shall glorify Me.” God is glorified in caring for us in our time of trouble, with such care through one another’s love.

Whatever your gifting to serve in the church, sharing in their trouble, caring out of concern for those in need, use your gifting to please the Lord who supplies all your needs according to the richness of His glory. So, fear not about your future. Be anxious about nothing. You are more valuable to God than sparrows (Matthew 10:31). Such richness of treasure is an inheritance stored up for you in heaven, a future grace to be enjoyed, guarded by God’s power to give to you on that day (I Peter 1:4-5).

Heavenly Father, we praise You for Your abundant supply, knowing our needs and how to best meet those needs. We rejoice even in trials that such a great supply is ours to enjoy in eternity. Bless us that we may bless one another. Meet our needs that we may care for one another. Be glorified in our sacrifices, using our gifts and caring for one another. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Self-Denial is Better than Self-Hatred

“Night and day among the tombs and on the mountains [the man with an unclean spirit] was always crying out and cutting himself with stones.” –Mark 5:5

My heart is troubled by the rise of self-hatred in our modern day. The agony of those without Christ are taught from a young age that who God knitted together in their mother’s womb is to be hated, mutilated to look different or become a different gender, find a different identity because who you are is not worthy to be loved. The world pressures people of all ages to keep changing identities, keep taking dangerous pills or surgeries until you find an identity the world will love.

In Mark 5, our Lord encounters a man possessed by a Legion of demons. The evil which raged with control of this man’s personality led to the agony of crying out with screams night and day as well as self-mutilation with stones. Evil hates the image-bearer of God.

The world would teach this man to love himself more. First, this is out of unbelief of the supernatural, but also in our postmodern age that “good” and “evil” are subjective. But this is not God’s plan to restore such a man. Jesus cast out the demons, something this man could not do for himself. This man needed reconciliation to God. Only Jesus can do that.

Adam’s fall distorted the image of God we bear. Distorted by sin, we are left attempting to fix Adam’s fall in us through earthly ways. The Bible calls us sinners, blind to the glory of God, dead in our trespasses against His holiness, separated from God. Jesus came to save sinners, calling us to turn from our wicked ways toward God. Jesus reconciles sinners to God by willingly laying down His life on the cross, taking God’s wrathful punishment which we deserved, though He is without sin. Jesus rose from the dead, proving He has authority and power over our final enemy, death.

In the Bible, God describes Himself as merciful, loving with long-suffering, kind, powerful, and holy. With sinful distortion, the sinner finds these qualities contradictory because God could only be merciful and loving if He allowed us to pursue our passions which lead to destruction. Yet, God warns us and commands us not to follow the wide path of destruction and exhorts us to turn from our ways to Christ. We need restoring, which is why Jesus came as the new Adam. If you are reading this article with skepticism, I ask you to read the short passage of Romans 5:12-21.

The answer to your self-hatred is not in pursuits of selfish passions, but to self-denial to Christ. Jesus said it this way: “The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up. Then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field” (Matthew 13:44). Delighting in the reign of King Jesus is like finding treasure! A man would sell everything, deny everything of himself, with…joy.

If you do not have a joy in self-denial, it is because you are blind to the hidden treasure of Christ. I plead with you, dear reader, to behold the beauty of Christ Jesus. He came to seek and to save the lost. You are lost.

The world would have you pursue your sexual appetites with identities contrary to how God created you. This is the path to true happiness, they say. But understand that others are simply pursuing their own appetites selfishly. This creates a selfish world which uses others for pleasure rather than selflessly loving one another.

When you go the wide path of destruction this Satan-ruled world demands of you, it is not you that they love. It is the new identity to their liking that they applause. Like this Legion possessed man, many in this world are crying in agony night and day because of this great evil.

Turn from your ways toward Jesus. Do not listen to the world’s voice that tell you to change your identity or mutilate your body until they love what they see, or until you love what you see. You don’t need new identities, you need a Redeemer of who you really are. A Savior of sinners. A Man of Sorrows of God’s own choosing to bear your sins and griefs, tortured at the hands of Roman guards, crucified to atone for your sin to be reconciled to God. A treasure hidden. In joy, reader, turn to Jesus.

God was intentional in creating you, for you are fearfully and wonderfully made (Psalm 139:14). I can only imagine the agony of this Legion possessed man who cried out night and day and cut himself with stones. I grieve over your agony, reader. Look to Christ who loves with boundless length and width and height and depth (Ephesians 3:18). You must be born again to have the strength to comprehend this treasure, delivered from this present evil kingdom of darkness to Christ’s kingdom of light (Colossians 1:13). You must be set free. Good news: Jesus sets the sinners free by knowing this truth (John 8:32).

If you would like to know more about Jesus Christ and this gospel, please contact me at shepherdwithhooves@gmail.com. I would be delighted to tell you more!

Heavenly Father, my prayer and plea from my heart is that Your gospel would open the eyes of the blind to see the beauty of Christ Jesus my Savior and Redeemer. Rescue the lost by Your might like You rescued this Legion possessed man. You are mighty to save with great compassion for sinners, as Your servant Paul says, “The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the chief” (I Timothy 1:15). Be glorified in Your saving grace for sinners through Christ Jesus our Lord. Amen.

You Are Not Enough

The Lord said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.” –II Corinthians 12:9

Our culture is obsessed with self-worth and self-love as the cure for misery produced by life’s troubles. Increasingly I have seen t-shirts and social media posts with the words “you are enough” or “you are worthy.” In a world grasping for any help from life’s troubles apart from the gospel of Jesus Christ, the hope proclaimed is self. There is no hope outside of you, they say. You are your own and only hope.

Paul had a thorn in his side. Whatever that thorn was, he pleaded with the Lord for its removal. The Lord did not say, “Paul, you are enough. You are worthy.” If the flood of my own misery and doubt finds its watershed in my own heart, then my heart cannot also be its own savior. Paul’s inner weakness would not have been helped to search deeper within for strength; rather, in weakness look to the Lord for grace.

The “you are enough” and “you are worthy” teaching pushes you to self-improve, as if depression and misery and fear will be helped by looking more to yourself for strength. You will never be enough. If you lived a thousand years, you will never finally achieve worth enough to be enough. Your weakness is a failure of strength; therefore, strength is not found deeper within yourself. Only more weakness.

Years may go by, and as trials and troubles continue to mount eventually you find you lack of strength to deceive yourself that “you are enough,” leading to the dread of despair. A hopeless venture like walking through a wet peat bog. Sure, you may travel a ways, but not forever.

If I really am enough, as our culture says, then why do I have to lie to myself and boast in a strength I know that I do not have to convince myself I am enough? Instead of having to produce new ways to convince myself I am enough, a self-deceit that only leads into hopeless exhaustion of works-based salvation, Scripture leads me to trust in a greater, eternal strength in God.

False teachers came into the church in Corinth undermining Paul’s authority and gospel by saying, “His letters are weighty and strong, but his bodily presence is weak, and his speech of no account” (II Corinthians 10:10). They boasted about their eloquent speech, strong appearances, and impressive personalities. Instead of boasting in strength, Paul boasts that in his weakness his life demonstrates the power of Christ resting upon him.

Paul says this weakness is something to “boast all the more gladly.” The joy is not in my weakness, but that in my weakness the power of Christ may rest upon me. “You are enough” and “you are worthy” are expressions of pride. Christ taught us, “Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted” (Matthew 23:12). This means my satisfaction is not myself or that I am enough, but my weakness is my strength in Christ. Whatever weakness which drives away self-reliance and self-exaltation is a weakness to boast all the more gladly in, for in my weakness Christ’s power rests upon me. I am not enough, but the Lord’s grace is enough.

Heavenly Father, what a precious mercy our weakness is, receiving a true view of ourselves not being enough, that You would demonstrate Your power in our weaknesses and that Your grace truly is sufficient for us. Grant to us grace to remember our needs that our weaknesses would draw us more dependent upon You. You who are trustworthy, mighty, and good. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Marking Iniquities

“If You, O LORD, should mark iniquities, O Lord, who could stand?” –Psalm 130:3

Painful human conflict is a fruit of sin God lists for Adam and Eve in Genesis 3. Our enmity with God in our sin commits spiritual adultery in our enmity with one another. No matter how healthy a marriage is, there is a threat of keeping a record of wrongs by both the husband and wife which feeds conflict. Good friendships formed over time can grow cold and distant over an angry word.

The temptation is to think we can fix conflict in our relationships by only talking with one another. “Against You and You only have I sinned and done what is evil in Your sight,” cried David after adultery and murder (Psalm 51:4). The conflict which rages in our hearts is not made clean by talking about it to each other, but is only cleansed by the power of God.

Pleading to God for mercy “out of the depths” (vs 1) forces me to look upon God as holy and my standing before Him.  If God should mark my iniquities, watching and marking down each sin of thought, word, and action, how could I stand His wrath? “But with You there is forgiveness,” trusts the one pleading for mercy (vs 4).

When I go to God harboring any enmity with others in a prideful unforgiving heart, I am not met with practical tools to smooth over my relationships. I encounter a God of tremendous holiness demanding perfection from a pitiful little creature like me. The Psalmist makes a great point: how could I stand against the fury of God’s anger if God kept a record of all my wrongs? God has every right to mark my iniquities. He is perfectly and eternally holy.

Yet, with God there is forgiveness. I look to the cruelty Christ suffered on the cross. There God displayed His intense hatred of sin; yet, also His love for me. In Christ who died this sinner’s death, I am not treated by God as my sins deserve. If God should mark my iniquities, I could not stand His fury. Since in God there is forgiveness, I enjoy His peace.

Though I had offended God’s holiness, I can stand before Him forgiven in peace. How then, pitiful, sinful creature, could I plead for mercy from God and mark others’ iniquities against me? Like the unforgiving servant, would I dare leave the King’s courtroom forgiven of an unforgivable debt only to be unforgiving toward others?

Having received mercy, the Christian is a student of the mercies of Christ. What causes conflicts and quarrels amongst us? Desires at war within us, says James 4:1. The peace between us as humans is tied to the desires in our hearts. If you notice tension, fits of rage, words said in anger in your relationships, go before God and you will study His holiness and your own wickedness. What is the desires of your heart you want so badly that you fight others to get it? God’s holiness will show you.

From the depths cry out to God for mercy, encounter God whose wrath you could not stand if He should mark your iniquities, find forgiveness in Him, and have your desires in your heart changed by mercy.

Heavenly Father, against You and You only do we sin. Our conflicts You see, angry words You hear, wicked thoughts You know. If You should mark our iniquities, we could not stand. In Christ whom You sent to endure the cross for us, we have forgiveness. O Lord, may Your mercies be a teacher for Your people to be merciful. We praise You for Your forgiveness and power to save. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

He Knows the Way that I Take

 “He knows the way that I take; when He has tried me, I shall come out as gold.” –Job 23:10

In great pain and grief, Job longs to meet with God but does not know where to find Him. Job believed God would exonerate him of whatever wrongdoing brought on these many waves of punishing griefs. Although Job has searched for God and had not seen Him yet, Job’s faith in God affirmed, “He knows the way that I take.” Job knows God sees him and knows all his ways.

Job longed for God like the Psalmist who thirsted for God like deer pants for streams of water asking, “When can I go and meet with God?” (Psalm 42:1-2). Job’s longing pains him as he waits for God. Job did not see God or know His ways regarding Job’s life and suffering, but Job trusted that God saw Job and knew the way of his life. Somehow, all of this pain and suffering is God trying Job like a goldsmith purifies gold in the fire.

Though in this life we are acquainted with many sorrows and griefs, the Christian takes comfort that such trials are not results of random events with no purpose. God is sovereign and each pain has a purpose, and we will come out as gold because our Savior knows our way. Dear reader, I know you do not enjoy the pain and grief of physical or spiritual trials which weigh you down in darkness to cry out, “My tears have been my food day and night” and “Why are you cast down, O my soul?” (Psalm 42:3,5)

Trust the fires into the work of the Refiner. “By day the Lord commands His steadfast love, and at night His song is with me, a prayer to the God of my life” (Psalm42:8). In the darkest hour, God’s song is with His children. The heat of the fire purifies the gold, and “I shall come out as gold.” What great comfort that not only does my grief have eternal purpose, but that God is the God of my life. He is my Savior. He will rescue me. I can trust along with McCheyne, “A dark hour makes Jesus bright.”

This, says the Psalmist, is “a prayer to the God of my life.” God, may this testing root me in Christ like a tree shaken in a storm strengthens roots into the ground. Remind me that Your steadfast love during the day remains now, though it is night. “Weeping may stay the night, but joy comes in the morning” (Psalm30:5). All my sorrows, iniquities, and griefs were on My Savior who is risen from His tomb. As Puritan Thomas Adams put it, “death is the funeral of all our sorrows.”

Christian, desire God with longing. Even if you cannot see Him or know the “why” of your trial, take comfort like Job: “He knows the way that I take.” God sees you and He knows your way. He prepares you for His everlasting, heavenly presence. He remains with you now, as our Savior promised, “I am with you even to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:20). His steadfast love enjoyed in the daylight sun remains on you in the darkest night.

Heavenly Father, how weak am I proven to be when trials weigh me down. Strengthen me for the Refiner’s Fire, purify me O Lord as I trust Your everlasting Word promised to me, “I shall come out as gold.” Bless us with Your much needed mercies free to us in Christ. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Humility Counts Others Above Ourselves

 “Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves.” –Philippians 2:3

Paul commanded the Philippian church, “Complete my joy.” How? By being in unity of mind and love in the encouragement and comfort that is in Christ. Such loving unity in Christian relationships is imposed upon our own humility, which is exemplified by the mighty Christ who became a servant and obeyed the Father to His death on a cross. Christ the Head of the Church is most highly exalted through obedient humility.

Paul’s joy is completed in the church’s obedience to a loving unity in Christ. Any disciple-maker in Christ’s church greatly desires those under their care to be expert peace-makers in a local church encouraged and comforted in loving unity in Christ. A local church which enjoys a humble, peaceful, loving unity in Christ enjoys an atmosphere for the discouraged to be encouraged and the broken-hearted to be comforted as we endure many trials by faith. A faith which carries one another’s burdens by counting each other more important than ourselves.

The greatest threat to the health of my marriage, parenting, and relationships then is my pride. Selfishness is my main problem and greatest barrier to loving unity in Christ. What I despise about my selfishness in my relationships is when I do not get what I expect in my pride, I allow a pity party to flourish in my heart which fills my mind with grumpy, negative thinking. If such unhealthiness is permitted to be nourished in my prideful heart, I will be an injury to any encouragement or comfort in Christ to those around me.

God promises the Christian of joy of salvation restored to me (Psalm 51:12). Humility to count even the most frustrating Christian more significant than myself is a fruit of God’s grace to me. God’s gracious work of redeeming and transforming me comes in ceaseless gospel reminders. When pride gets in the way of such joyful sanctification, I must pause and ask if my mind is held captive to the pure excellence of Christ above or whether my selfishness is being served (Philippians 4:8). I examine my devotion time, prayer life, and time in His Word.

When the God of all comforts would encourage and comfort me, removing pride and producing the fruit of humility in me, then I am able to comfort others with the same gospel comfort (II Corinthians 1:3-4). Praise be to God who comforts me and Christ’s church with mercy.

Heavenly Father, forgive our pride and by Your Holy Spirit continue Your excellent, mighty redeeming work of transforming us be Your grace. Strengthen Your servants to consider each other’s interests above our own as Your blessed peacemakers encourage and comfort one another in Christ. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

M'Cheyne - The Saviour's Tears Over the Lost

The 19th Century Scottish preacher Robert Murray M'Cheyne preached from Luke 19:41-42 where Jesus wept over Jerusalem before His crucifixion. I have changed some of the wording for easier modern reading from the Banner of Truth book of compilations of his sermons. From this sermon, I encourage you to read these words:

I come now to show you that Christ is willing to save even the hardest of sinners.

“And when he drew near and saw the city, he wept over it;" Christ here gives two proofs that he is willing to save sinners: 

(1) His tears; and 

(2) His words. 

These were the tears of one who never wept but in reality; and these were the words of one who never spoke but in reality. It is impossible for him to lie. “O, if you had known,” he said. It was a broken wish. It shows a feeling of the greatest love and tenderness. His bowels were yearning with tenderness within him, for the love he bore to their souls. His desire was a true desire. He saw them lying in their sin. They had slain the prophets, and despised their messages. He saw that they would soon crucify himself. He saw their hands red with his own blood; and yet, for all that, he wept over them. He saw the judgments that were coming on them. He saw that they would soon lie down in hell; and therefore he wept and cried, “Would that you, even you, had known on this day the things that make for peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes."

I believe there are some here tonight over whom Christ says the same. He sees that you have sinned against light, and against love, and that you have resisted the Holy Spirit these fifty-two Sabbaths which have now gone over your heads. He sees how you have withstood every warning, how you have resisted his ministers, how you have resisted and crucified the Son of God afresh, how you have wounded Christ in the house of his friends; and yet he says, “O, if you had known”. Perhaps, sinner, you will not turn, perhaps you will perish, and before another year has passed, you may lift up your eyes in hell, being in torments. He that cannot lie says, he would have saved you; and if you perish, sinner, your blood be on your own head. It is the very essence of the gospel that Christ is willing to save. He wills not that any should perish, but that all should come to him and live. Some will say, why did he not save Jerusalem, if he was willing? To this I answer, that you must take the gospel as you find it. It is not your business nor mine to inquire into anything of the sort. It is sufficient for us to know that he is willing to save. He said, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink.” (John 7:37); “He who comes to me I will never cast out.” (John 6:37).

Now, brethren, in conclusion, I beseech you, strive to enter in at the strait gate. Many have entered, why not you?