Tag Archives: grace

Aug 5 2010

Drink Deeply From the Spring of Salvation


One of my fondest childhood memories is our family visits to Uncle Bill Wheeler’s house. He and Aunt Allie lived a simple life, making a living off the land. Fresh, hot out of the oven, cornbread and ice-cold butter milk seemed to always be one part of our visits. I loved that simple treat, and still do.

One of the things I remember most is the water. Uncle Bill and Aunt Allie had spring water running in the kitchen sink 24/7. It was gravity-fed, running from a spring up on the mountain above the house. It was not good to turn the water off because it would increase the chances the pipe would get stopped up. Even running all the time, errant leaves or a frisky spring lizard, would sometimes make it necessary for Uncle Bill to climb the mountain and clear the obstruction so the water could flow.

Water from those mountain springs in western North Carolina was as cold as if it had flowed over ice and had a subtle sweetness. Springs dotted the valleys and almost every home had a bold spring near by. It was of such quality that you didn’t just drink it to satisfy your thirst, you drank deeply and often because it was so good!

The prophet Isaiah promised,

“With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation.” (Isaiah 12:3)

Then there is Jesus’ words to the woman at the well, and to us.

“Jesus said to her, “Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” The woman said to him, “Sir, give me this water, so that I will not be thirsty or have to come here to draw water.” (John 4:13-15

We who have our trust in Christ have in us the spring of life-giving, living water. It is nothing less than Christ himself. It is He who is our life. We can drink deeply from “the wells of salvation” not because we are thirsty but because it tastes good! Jesus said if you drink of this water you will not be thirsty again, ever! We are not driven to the spring of life to quench a thirst, it is already eternally satisfied. We drink to know fullness of joy! We come to delight in the finished work of Jesus, to experience deep, fulfilling joy in the gospel.

Not only is the spring welling up in us, and results in eternal life, but it overflows to those about us. The evidence of the work of grace in the life of a believer is the refreshing manifestation of the Holy Spirit’s presence in love, patience, kindness, forgiveness, and unique giftedness that is designed to better the lives of our brothers and sisters in the body. The more deeply I drink of the water of life and overflow with the joy of my salvation the more I am equipped to be a source of blessing for others.

Drink deeply from the spring of salvation. Your daily delight in God will spill over into the lives of others to God’s glory.

“And he said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give from the spring of the water of life without payment.” (Revelation 21:6)

God gives this life-giving, thirst quenching, water of life freely, “without payment”. Jesus paid it all! How can I not delight in and find my greatest joy in the work of Jesus that fully satisfied God’s demands on my behalf?

The water is in you, it is fresh and free, you didn’t have to pay for it, it never runs out, drink deeply and often and be refreshed and full of joy.

Agape’

Royce

Aug 2 2010

Choose your weapon!


For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ (2 Corinthians 10:3-5)

In an age when most churches are focused on sin management Paul’s ancient declaration seems like an idea we can’t begin to comprehend. Some how I have trouble trying to imagine Paul facilitating an anger management group. Is it just me or have we (churches) adopted the same methods of dealing with moral failure as the world?

A few decades ago secular humanists with PHD’s decided that they had discovered an answer for some of the moral failings of mankind, it was “disease”. With that designation for certain moral flaws, personal responsibility and accountability went out the window.

Now, many years later, even more sins have been declared “normal” or are considered a “sickness” or “disease” and the treatment is to “manage” the moral failing (sin). The idea is that with enough  purposeful care, and with the help of others, sin can be managed so that it isn’t as much of a problem.

Churches have bought in 100%. But is it biblical?

The Bible says to the one who is stealing, stop stealing and go to work. (Ephesians 4:29)

To the liar, the Bible says, don’t lie. (Colossians 3:9) Put away falsehood and tell the truth. (Ephesians 4:25)

To the sexually immoral the Bible says don’t do it (1 Thessalonians 4:3), flee from it (1 Corinthians 6:18), and don’t associate with those who are involved in it. (1 Corinthians 5:9). Reserve sexual expression for your husband or wife only. (1 Corinthians 7:1-3)

To the drunkard the Bible says don’t get drunk. (Ephesians 5:18)

Of course the Bible addresses many other sins with the same kind of common sense solutions. Just say No! It isn’t that easy is it?

We have tried ridding our people of moral short falls by employing the same methodologies as people who don’t know God, and with little success. Isn’t it about time to try it God’s way?

There is a real war raging, a war between good and evil, between God and his people and the god of this world and his own. We must use the tools afforded by the grace of God. We must stop treating symptoms and cure the cause. We are giving all our attention to the branches when the problem is the root is rotten.

Choose different weapons

In the atonement of Jesus given by God’s amazing grace we have all we need to live lives that please God. (Titus 2:11-13)

The “weapons” we must use to fight the downward pull of sin are not discovered in the class room but are standard equipment for the child of God by the Spirit’s power.

Christ has (past tense) reconciled us to God with His body as a sacrifice. That same power that saved us from the curse of the law and from sure death, is the same power that will present us in the end a pure, holy people.

And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him, if indeed you continue in the faith, stable and steadfast, not shifting from the hope of the gospel that you heard, which has been proclaimed in all creation under heaven, and of which I, Paul, became a minister. (Colossians 1:21-23)

Only the atonement of Jesus, only by the blood of his cross, will sin finally be defeated in a real, concrete way in your life and mine. We must be gospel focused, purposefully saying yes to God and no to everything that opposes His will for our lives.

God’s strength, now ours

The good news is that we don’t have to attempt this in the power of our own strength but in His strength. Paul said it this way.

Him we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present everyone mature in Christ. For this I toil, struggling with all his energy that he powerfully works within me. (Colossians 1:28-29)

It is Christ alone who can give us mastery over sin. The same power that raised Jesus from the dead, is the power that grace affords to root out every sin and every moral flaw in the lives of his people.

Gospel centered, grace driven, and Spirit empowered living is the way of freedom and knowing the peace of God and the fellowship of the Spirit. If I trust myself and my own resourcefulness I am doomed to repeat and repeat again and again those same sins and live a life of virtual defeat. If I lean heavily upon the everlasting arms and refuse to consider anything but His mighty power demonstrated by his shed blood and victorious resurrection I can live a life a victory.

We must admit our sin is really that, sin. We must be quick to repent, and boldly stand on God’s promise of victory using the weapons of grace alone.

Agape’

Royce

Jul 11 2010

The Divine Rescue – A Review


“The gripping drama of a lost world and of
the Creator who will not let it go.”

“The Divine Rescue” is nothing less than the subtitle above promises. It is classic Fudge! This latest book by Edward Fudge is excellent in every way I can measure a book.

Indeed it is a “gripping drama”. I found myself purposefully hurrying through the last paragraphs of pages eager to get to the next. It is the story of all stories told by a master word smith.

Fudge begins the story before the beginning and ends it after the end. He masterfully covers all the bases, hitting all the high points of biblical revelation about God’s pursuit of sinful men, leaving no part of the drama untold.

Few people of faith have been able to have an audience as wide and diverse as Edward Fudge. Christians of many stripes have embraced his teaching and he is a favorite author/teacher/preacher to many denominations of believers including his own churches of Christ. Edward Fudge is not a dogmatist, he just presents the truths he finds in scripture without prejudice.

“The Divine Rescue” doesn’t avoid the controversial themes of the Bible, like election and predestination, but rather presents them and more so that they fold together like the fingers of hands clasped together for prayer.

There is only one Redeemer, one Rescuer, and one rescue, but God allows us to see it from many different perspectives. Sadly, many Christians who favor only one view, from one vantage point, often insist that only the view they see is the correct one.

God’s scheme of redemption (rescue) is not a snapshot, it is rather a panorama. Every part is important, and to refuse to see even one perspective of the whole is an unfortunate loss and partial lack of appreciation for the whole story.

Edward Fudge, as a master artist, begins this word-painting, and chapter after chapter, adds color and depth, clarity and meaning come into view, perfect highlights and the brush strokes of phrases bring to the eye the beauty of the love and grace of the Creator demonstrated in Jesus Christ.

“The Divine Rescue” is God’s story and it is my story. In it you will find yourself, at your worst, and as God’s best completed work, a rescued sinner who in the end is just like Jesus the Rescuer.

From those who are new to the community of faith to the most celebrated Bible scholar, I recommend this latest book from my friend and mentor Edward Fudge. It would be a wonderful gift for a friend who is not yet a Christian as well.

The book is available at Amazon.com, Texas Costco stores, Family Christian book stores, Lifeway Christian stores, Mardel’s, Books-A-Million, and from the author at EdwardFudge.com. I hope it is read around the world.

Royce Ogle

May 13 2010

Jeb’s Story – Part 2


The first section of Jeb’s Story can be found here. Jeb’s Story
…the story continues.

I was in the city with some friends and we heard that Jesus of Nazareth was creating a stir. A huge crowd had gathered and when I got near enough to see what was happening I could hear one of our priests encouraging the crowd to choose Barabbas to be freed instead of Jesus who is called the Christ. As you all know it is customary for Pilot to release a prisoner during the time of the feast. The priests kept saying to the crowd “Barabbas!” The angry mob began to shout over and over,”Give us Barabbas!” I am not sure why but I too joined the chorus, demanding that this hardened criminal be spared and that Jesus be executed.

I had known Jesus for several years, sort of at a distance. Twice I believe my inns had purchased tables from Jesus’ family carpenter shop. One of those times I myself spoke to him briefly inquiring about the tables. He was just an ordinary Jew. He was not handsome and I didn’t notice anything unusual about him. It was a few years later that I started to hear that he had gone mad. He was claiming to be God, the Messiah, and that he would overthrow the government and rule the Jews from David’s throne.

I felt only pity for him, the poor fellow had mental problems. But as time went on there were more and more stories about miracles, healing cripples, giving sight to the blind, and desecrating the temple and the Sabbath. He made outrageous claims about knowing Abraham, being equal with Jehovah, and that he was King of the Jews. My pity soon turned to anger. I hated this impostor who spoke against the chief priests, whose disciples broke the law, and ate with Samaritans and common sinners.

So on that day when Jesus was condemned to be executed by crucifixion I heartedly joined the others in calling for his death. I wanted the earth rid of this devil. I began to have an anger that I couldn’t explain and it surprised me. I am one who was usually just out for a good time and religion and politics did not move me.

I witnessed with my own eyes the brutal beatings, the humiliation, the mocking, the bloodshed before they put him on the cross. I was a willing participant even though I did not personally strike him or say anything but I did not object either.

When he was finally up on the cross and the roar of the crowd was at a fever pitch I felt an emptiness in my inner being. I admitted to myself for the first time that an innocent man was being put to death. He had really done nothing that deserved this.

I left for a while, drank several cups of wine with friends and came back to see if it was over yet. When I drew near I was astounded when he summoned the strength to say “Father, forgive them, they don’t know what they are dong.” Those words struck my soul. There had been a great injustice! This was all so wrong! I was so wrong.

to be continued…..

Royce