“The Father loveth the Son, and hath given all things into his hand.” (John 3:35)
The gospel of John, in a special sense, emphasizes the love in the divine Trinity of the heavenly Father for the Son. The words “love” and “Father” and “Son” occur more in this book than in any other book of the Bible, and there are at least eight references to this love in John’s gospel.
The first is in our text above, revealing that the Father has entrusted the care of the whole creation to the Son whom He loves. He has also shown Him everything in creation: “For the Father loveth the Son, and sheweth him all things that himself doeth” (John 5:20).
The Father also loved the Son because of His willingness to die for lost sinners. “Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again” (John 10:17).
Then in the upper room, as Christ prayed to His Father, it was revealed that this divine love had existed in eternity and therefore must be both the root and the measure of all forms of true love ever since. “Father…thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world” (John 17:24). Parental love, marital love, filial love, love of country—all types of genuine love—are derived ultimately from this eternal love of the Father for the Son.
And it is this love that can also be in us, if we will have it. “As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you….If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and abide in his love” (John 15:9-10).
It was thus He prayed (and still prays) for us: “That the world may know that thou…hast loved them, as thou hast loved me.…And…that the love wherewith thou hast loved me may be in them, and I in them” (John 17:23, 26). HMM
“But the other of love, knowing that I am set for the defence of the gospel.” (Philippians 1:17)
Many Christians decry the use of apologetics or evidences in Christian witnessing, feeling it somehow dishonors the Lord or the Scriptures to try to defend them. But as our text indicates, Paul did not agree with this. The gospel does need defending, and he was set for its defense against the attacks of its adversaries. He also told his disciples that “in the defence and confirmation of the gospel, ye all are partakers of my grace” (Philippians 1:7).
The Greek word translated “defense” is apologia, from which we derive our English word “apologetics.” It is a legal term, meaning the case made by a defense attorney on behalf of a defendant under attack by a prosecutor. Thus, Paul is saying: “I am set to give an apologetic for the gospel—a logical, systematic [scientific, if necessary] defense of the gospel against all the attacks of its adversaries.”
Since we are “partakers” with him in this defense, we also need to “be ready always to give an answer [same word, apologia] to every man that asketh [us] a reason of the hope that is in [us]” (1 Peter 3:15). Any Christian who shares his faith with the unsaved has encountered many who cannot believe the simple plan of salvation until his questions are answered. We must be familiar with the “many infallible proofs” (Acts 1:3) of the deity of Christ and His power to save, both as omnipotent Creator and sin-bearing Savior. We must “search the scriptures daily” and also study the “witness” He has given in the creation (Acts 17:11; 14:17) if we are to do this effectively, bringing forth fruit that will “remain” (John 15:16) instead of fruit that has withered away “because it had no root” (Mark 4:6). The gospel is under vicious attack today, so may God help us to be among its victorious defenders. HMM
“But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness. Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses.” (1 Timothy 6:11-12)
A Christian has no desire for his past life of sin. As we see in our text, we should “flee these things” and “lay hold on eternal life,” putting off whatever is old and instead putting on what is new. The second verse of our study hymn “Higher Ground” expresses this as well.
My heart has no desire to stay
Where doubts arise and fears dismay;
Though some may dwell where those abound,
My prayer, my aim, is higher ground.
One of the most precious promises of Christianity can be found in 2 Corinthians 5:17, where we see that “if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” We are told that we can put our old habits of sin behind us and live a new life in victory over sin and death. No longer can sin reign over us—we can live in victory. Even doubts and fears can be dismissed from our presence. Our God has promised throughout His Scriptures: “Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness” (Isaiah 41:10).
There is no need to be anywhere else. My prayer and my aim are to walk where He leads and be where He wants me to be. Only while there can we be assured of higher ground with Him. JDM
Welcome Home
by Max Lucado
I came home one night to find the place unusually quiet. Molly was gone.
She’d slipped out unnoticed. The search began immediately. Within an hour we knew that she was far, far from home. Now, if you don’t like pets, what I’m about to say is going to sound strange. If you do like pets, you will understand.
You’ll understand why we walked up and down the street, calling her name. You’ll understand why I drove around the neighborhood at 10:30 P.M. You’ll understand why I put up a poster in the convenience store and convened the family for a prayer. (Honestly, I did.) You’ll understand why I sent e-mails to the staff, asking for prayers, and to her breeder, asking for advice. And you’ll understand why we were ready to toss the confetti and party when she showed up.
Here is what happened. The next morning Denalyn was on her way home from taking the girls to school when she saw the trash truck. She asked the workers to keep an eye out for Molly and then hurried home to host a moms’ prayer group. Soon after the ladies arrived, the trash truck pulled into our driveway, a worker opened the door, and out bounded our dog. She had been found.
When Denalyn called to tell me the news, I could barely hear her voice. It was Mardi Gras in the kitchen. The ladies were celebrating the return of Molly.
Upward Way
“And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.” (Ephesians 3:19)
The hymn “Higher Ground” acknowledges the difficulties of the Christian life. But we press on, ever striving for the goal. A Christian must be habitually “forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before” (Philippians 3:13). And so it is in the hymn.
I’m pressing on the upward way,
New heights I’m gaining every day;
Still praying as I’m onward bound,
Lord, plant my feet on higher ground.
All faithful warriors must remember that they are fighting for the King. “No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier” (2 Timothy 2:4). Many successful soldiers in the Lord’s army may be gaining new victories each day, although in the bigger picture these may go unrecognized by others and sometimes even by the individual soldier. But these efforts and soldiers will be commended by the One for whom we are fighting.
Our endeavors must always be bathed in prayer as we seek to gain His favor. Our supplication must be “Lord, grant me victory over any sin which besets me. Provide me favor today as I press on in your service. Give me opportunity to teach your Word to those in need. Give me fruit which lasts for eternity.” An earnest plea that touches God’s heart has great power, and we can look forward to seeing it work mightily. As the hymn teaches, we can expect Him to plant our feet on higher ground. JDM
You Are Not a Victim of Your Thoughts
Life has a way of unloading her rubbish on our doorstep! Your husband works too much. Your wife gripes too much. Your boss expects too much. Your kids whine too much. The result? Trash. Loads of pessimism, guilt, anxiety—it all piles up. And what about the Pharisees? They killed Christ in their hearts before they killed him on the cross.
Today’s thoughts are tomorrow’s actions. Could that be why Paul writes, “Love…keeps no record of wrongs?” (1 Corinthians 13:5). We do have a choice. Paul says we do when he writes, “We capture every thought and make it give up and obey Christ” (2 Corinthians 10:5). Selfishness, step back! Envy…get lost! You are not a victim of your thoughts. If today’s thoughts are tomorrow’s actions, what happens when we fill our minds with thoughts of God’s love? Will standing beneath the downpour of his grace change the way we feel about others? Absolutely!
Responding to Disappointment
To find examples of wise, godly reactions to disappointment, you’re more likely to turn to Psalms than to Matthew. But thevery first chapter in the New Testament tells the story of an upright man’s reaction to painful and disheartening news.
Joseph—Jesus’ earthly father—was a righteous person. A godly man wants a wife who shares his desire to honor and obey the Lord, and Scripture indicates that Mary was exactly that sort of woman (Luke 1: 45-55). So imagine how stunned Joseph must have been when Mary returned from a long visit with her relative Elizabeth and told him that she was pregnant. Moreover, she was claiming no man had touched her.
Nevertheless…
by Max Lucado
And the king and his men… spoke to David, saying, “You shall not come in here; but the blind and the lame will repel you,” …Nevertheless David took the stronghold of Zion (that is, the City of David).
- 2 Samuel 5:6-9
Did you see it? Most hurry past it. Let’s not. Pull out a pen and underline this twelve-letter masterpiece.
Nevertheless.
“Nevertheless David took the stronghold…”
A Servant's Rewards
In His grace, God freely gives salvation to those who believe in Jesus. We cannot earn this gift, nor do we deserve it. Our Father does notice our good works, though. And He promises to reward us according to what we have done for Him.
True service occurs when we allow the Lord to work through us for His glory and honor. True ministry occurs when divine resources meet human need through loving channels.
Higher Ground
“Forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 3:13-14)
Over the years, Christians have used many hymns to enhance the study of Scripture. Consider one such hymn, “Higher Ground,” as an impetus to our own study. Its refrain encapsulates the desire of many Christians.
Lord, lift me up and let me stand,
By faith, on Heaven’s tableland,
A higher plane than I have found;
Lord, plant my feet on higher ground.
Many Christians live on a “plateau,” enjoying the Christian life around them, but inwardly they yearn for something more, something deeper and more lasting. They long to make a difference in the lives of their friends, lost or unlost. They want to live in victory over sin. They want more fruitfulness from their witness. They desire a deeper walk with God and to live by faith, living in a way that pleases God.
No longer satisfied with the accustomed “plateau,” they pray for God to grant them a “tableland” or “higher ground.” But this high ground is not one from which simply to minister. It is to know God in His entirety. We desire the same as Paul: “That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death” (Philippians 3:10).
This may be the most lasting message we can take from this song. We want to know God more fully and serve as more effective Christians. We are encouraged to plant our feet on higher ground and be eternally more abundant as Christians. JDM
An Uncommon Call to an Uncommon Life
by Max Lucado
Each person is given something to do that shows who God is.
1 Corinthians 12:7 MSG
Da Vinci painted one Mona Lisa. Beethoven composed one Fifth Symphony. And God made one version of you. He custom designed you for a one-of-a-kind assignment. Mine like a gold digger the unique-to-you nuggets from your life.
When I was six years old, my father built us a house. Architectural Digest didn’t notice, but my mom sure did. Dad constructed it, board by board, every day after work. My youth didn’t deter him from giving me a job. He tied an empty nail apron around my waist, placed a magnet in my hands, and sent me on daily patrols around the building site, carrying my magnet only inches off the ground.
The Power of Unified Prayer - by Greg Laurie - www.harvest.org
�This is what real love is: it is not our love for God; it is God�s love for us. He sent his Son to die in our place to take away our sins� (1 John 4:10).
When it comes to love, be careful. Take a good look around. Don�t force what is wrong to be right. Be prayerful. Love is a fruit of the Spirit. Ask God to help you love as he loves. �God has given us the Holy Spirit, who fill our hearts with his love� (Romans 5:5).
Be grateful for those who�ve encouraged you to do what is right and applauded when you did. And isn�t it good to know that even when we don�t love with a perfect love, he does? God always nourishes what is right. He has never done wrong, led one person to do wrong, or rejoiced when anyone did wrong. For he IS love!
The Reason We Serve
In His Word, God commands us to serve one another. However, there will inevitably be difficult people in life who make this mandate challenging.
Thankfully, a biblical definition of service can help us obey the Lord's instruction, no matter who the recipient may be. And the reason is that God is actually the One whom we serve.
Satan's Wiles
�Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.� (Ephesians 6:16)
Our goals as victorious warriors or even survivors in the battle at hand include neutralizing the enemy�s tactics as well as defeating him. The Christian wants to live above the fray, being successful in his efforts to �quench all the fiery darts of the wicked,� as we saw in our text. The third verse of the hymn �Higher Ground� expresses this desire well.
I want to live above the world,
Though Satan�s darts at me are hurled;
For faith has caught the joyful sound,
The song of saints on higher ground.
The passage surrounding our text captures the warrior�s spirit well. The fighter is to don with care his entire armor (Ephesians 6:13) and protect his �loins girt about with truth� and wearing the �breastplate of righteousness.� He must be protected from head to toe, �shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace� (v. 14-15) and standing with the helmet of salvation on his head. The text gives further instructions, perhaps more important than all the others, for it instructs �above all, taking the shield of faith.� Our faith, our belief in God, and the knowledge of the Word of God provide the necessary and winning power for the battle. �For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith� (1 John 5:4).
The final item mentioned in this important passage is the striving together of the saints for the common goal, praying together and beseeching God for His blessings. �Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit� (Ephesians 6:18) makes victory more certain in both the short run and the long. What bliss to catch the joyful sound of faithful saints on higher ground. JDM
What happens when we fill our minds with thoughts of God�s love? Will standing beneath the downpour of his grace change the way we feel about others?
It�s not enough to keep the bad stuff out. We�ve got to let the good stuff in. It�s not enough to keep no list of wrongs. We need to cultivate a list of blessings. Paul says in Philippians 4:8, �Whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is gracious, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.�
Thinking conveys the idea of pondering, studying, and focusing� allowing what is viewed to have an impact on us. You want to make a list? Then list his mercies. List the times God has forgiven you. Rather than store up the sour, store up the sweet!
Requirements of Waiting
Waiting for God's timing is neither passive nor idle--it takes discipline and commitment. I can think of four basic requirements for successful waiting.
Faith. The Lord's ways and timing are nothing like ours (Isa. 55:8-9). From a human standpoint, He usually does things in a totally different way than we expect. But as we trust Him more, we'll discover that His approach isn't so strange after all. And when we live in harmony with God's will, His timing starts to make sense.
God Our Provider - by Greg Laurie -
�For the LORD knoweth the way of the righteous: but the way of the ungodly shall perish.� (Psalm 1:6)
This verse outlines the inescapable truth that there are only two roads and two destinations to which they lead in eternity. The word �way� (Hebrew derek) means �road.� There is only one way leading to heaven�the way of the righteous; and one way leading to hell�the way of the ungodly.
This is a very common word in Scripture, but it is significant that its first occurrence is in Genesis 3:24, referring to �the way of the tree of life.� Once expelled from the garden of Eden because of their rebellion, Adam and Eve no longer could travel that �way� of life and began to die.
The equivalent Greek word in the New Testament is hodos, also meaning �road,� and it too occurs quite frequently. Its literal meaning�that of an actual roadway�lends itself very easily to the figure of a style of life whose practice leads inevitably to a certain destiny. Since there are only two basic ways of looking at life�the God-centered viewpoint and the man-centered viewpoint�there are only two ways of life, the way of the godly and the way of the ungodly. The one leads to life, the other to death. There is no other way.
The Lord Jesus taught: �Enter ye in at the strait [i.e., �narrow�] gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it� (Matthew 7:13-14).
�There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death� (Proverbs 14:12; 16:25). But what is the way of the righteous that leads to life? �I am the way,� said the Lord Jesus: �no man cometh unto the Father, but by me� (John 14:6). �This is the way, walk ye in it� (Isaiah 30:21). HMM
�Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high.� (Hebrews 1:3)
As Christians we desire to be with our Lord and see His glory forever. The writer of Hebrews expressed our passion for Him in the text for today. He goes on to tell how �they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city� (Hebrews 11:16). Our ultimate goal is to reach glory and see our Savior face to face. The final verse of �Higher Ground� agrees.
I want to scale the utmost height
And catch a gleam of glory bright;
But still I�ll pray till heav�n I�ve found,
Lord, plant my feet on higher ground.
We must have our expectation fixated on Him and our eternal home. We must pray for His return to take us there and pray that we can influence many others to join us too. Now we face persecution, trials, and troubles, but these are so temporary. Indeed, we are promised that we �shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God� (Romans 8:21). Only when we reach that �utmost height� and finally perceive that �glory bright� will we fully understand Him, while our thankfulness continues for eons.
Studying this grand Christian hymn reminds us of the wondrous Christian opportunities before us and the majesty of heaven�s higher ground that awaits us. We have the privilege of living above the sin so prevalent around us and confronting even our enemy with victory. And our ultimate goal is our Savior in heaven. Dear friend, we have a great journey ahead and great joy at the end. JDM
by Max Lucado
Joe Allbright is a fair and fearless West Texas rancher, a square-jawed, rawboned man with a neck by Rawlings. In Andrews County, where I was raised, everyone knew him.
One of Joe�s sons, James, and I were best friends in high school. We played football together. (More honest, he played while I guarded the team bench.) One Friday night after an out-of-town game, James invited me to stay at his house. By the time we reached his property, the hour was way past midnight, and he hadn�t told his father he was bringing anyone home.
Mr. Allbright didn�t know me or my vehicle, so when I stepped out of the car in front of his house, he popped on a floodlight and aimed it right at my face. Through the glare I saw this block of a man (I think he was in his underwear), and I heard his deep voice. �Who are you?� I gulped. My mind moved at the speed of cold honey. I started to say my name but didn�t. Mr. Allbright doesn�t know me. My only hope was that James would speak up. A glacier could have melted before he did so. Finally he interceded. �It�s okay, Dad. That�s my friend Max. He�s with me.� The light went off, and Mr. Allbright threw open the door. �Come on in, boys. Food is in the kitchen.�
As Easy As the Door - by Greg Laurie - www.harvest.org
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