Genesis

The goal of every Christian parent, regardless of where they lived around the globe, is exactly the same: For their child to be conformed to the image of Christ.

Paul writes in Romans 13:14,

“But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires.”

And C.S. Lewis stated in Mere Christianity,

“’Putting on Christ’…is not one among many jobs a Christian has to do; and it is not a sort of special exercise for the top class. It is the whole of Christianity. Christianity offers nothing else at all.”

Recently we had the privilege of having Madelines and Raydel Riquelme teach a Sunday school class in Washington, D.C. for parents of small children, where we discussed Jesus’ childhood.

One initial question we discussed was, Why did Jesus need to live all those years, instead of simply coming to earth, dying as a substitute for sin, rising from the dead, and ascending back to heaven?

Answer: He had to live a perfectly righteous life and “fulfill all righteousness”, and thus prove to be the perfect sacrifice to take the place of sinners.

-Matthew 3:13-15 – Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to John, to be baptized by him. John would have prevented him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?” But Jesus answered him, “Let it be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.” Then he consented.

-1 Peter 3:18 – “For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit.”

Jesus lived a perfectly righteous life from childhood through adulthood, so that His righteous life could be imputed to believers.

“For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” (2 Corinthians 5:21)

Luke 2:52 states, “And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man.”

Luke indicates that Jesus grew (1) intellectually (wisdom), (2) physically (stature), (3) spiritually (favor with God), and (4) socially (and man).

And this is our goal for the Genesis Family Life Program, that EA could assist churches in equipping parents to raise their children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord, in order that, like Jesus, they “would grow in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man.”

Overflowing with Thankfulness

The Apostle Paul states in Colossians 2:6-7,

 “So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.”

Consider for a moment that last phrase “overflowing with thankfulness.”

An attitude of ingratitude hardens our hearts and destroys our relationship with God and others. Nothing turns us into bitter, selfish, dissatisfied people more quickly than an ungrateful heart. One of the Bible’s indictments against humanity, which is as true when it was written 2000 years ago as it is today) is “although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him.” (Romans 1:21)

And nothing will restore contentment and the joy of our salvation than a true spirit of thanksgiving, so below are…

5 Ways to Thank God this Thanksgiving

 1. Thank God for the Material Blessings That He Gives You

-“I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.” (Philippians 4:12)

-“Give me neither poverty nor riches — feed me with the food allotted to me.” (Proverbs 30:8b)

-Pray that God would bless you with just the right amount – not too much that you forget to acknowledge God as the source, and not too little that you might be tempted to dishonoringly acquire more.

 2. Thank God for the People in Your Life

-“First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith is being reported all over the world. God, whom I serve with my whole heart in preaching the gospel of his Son, is my witness how constantly I remember you in my prayers at all times;” (Romans 1:8-10)

 3. Thank God in the Midst of Trials and Even Persecution

-Why? Our view of God’s sovereignty

-“Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance” (James 1:2-3)

-“Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus” (1 Thess. 5:18)

4.Thank God Especially for His Salvation in Jesus Christ

-Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!” (2 Corinthians 9:15)

-He did for us what we could not do for ourselves

 5. Thank God for His Continued Presence and Power in Your Life

-When we come to Christ, it is not the end but the beginning of a whole new life! He is with us, and He wants to help us follow Him and His Word.

-“…for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose.” (Philippians 2:13)

 

“First things…first!”

If your childhood was anything like mine, that saying was ingrained in your mind, and for good reason.

In Christian transformational development we too must be constantly reminded to keep “First things…first.”

C.S. Lewis wisely noted,

“We must try by every medical, educational, economic and political means in our power to produce a world where all have plenty to eat. But we must not suppose that even if we succeeded in making everyone nice we should not have saved their souls. A world of nice people, content in their own niceness, looking no further, turned away from God, would be just as desperately in need of salvation as a miserable world – and might even be more difficult to save.”

Our first priority in Christian transformational development must be the ministry of reconciliation (2 Cor. 5:11-21). Beyond that, we are to encourage and instruct, as to the benefits and contentment in a comprehensive, God-honoring life.

As Ron Rhodes points out in his book The Key Ideas Bible Handbook, our lives should reflect our Creator in three overarching areas,

“You and I are made in the image of God. Live accordingly! Genesis 1:27 tells us, ‘God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.’ Elsewhere in Scripture, we learn man was created in God’s image in the sense that he is a finite reflection of God in his rational nature (Colossians 3:10), in his moral nature (Ephesians 4:24), and in his dominion over creation (Genesis 1:27-28). In the same way the moon reflects the brilliant light of the sun, so finite man—as created in God’s image—is a reflection of God in these aspects.”

The basic necessities of food, water, shelter and even gainful employment can actually become hindrances to an individual’s all-important spiritual need of reconciliation with God through Christ Jesus, unless we remember to “Keep first things…first.”

 

 

After Darkness, Light

Today the vast majority of our culture will be focused on costumes and candy. However, for Protestants, October 31, Reformation day, commemorates what some believe to have been “the greatest move of the Spirit of God since the days of the Apostles.”

When Martin Luther nailed his ninety-five theses to the church door on October 31, 1517, it triggered a debate that would eventually culminate in what we now refer to as the Protestant Reformation.

What is Reformation Day?

Stephen Nichols explains how that single event forever impacted history,

“It is the day the light of the gospel broke forth out of darkness.

It was the day that began the Protestant Reformation.

It was a day that led to Martin Luther, John Calvin, John Knox, and may other Reformers helping the church find its way back to God’s Word as the only authority for faith and life and leading the church back to the glorious doctrines of justification by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone.

 It kindled the fires of missionary endeavors.

 It led to hymn writing and congregational singing.

 It led to the centrality of the sermon and preaching for the people of God.

 It is the celebration of a theological, ecclesiastical, and cultural transformation.”

 Why October 31?

In Luther’s day November 1 held a special place in the church calendar as All Saints’ Day. On November 1, 1517, an expansive exhibit of newly acquired relics would be on display in Luther’s hometown of Wittenberg. Pilgrims would travel from far and wide to bow before the artifacts, and be awarded with reduced time to atone for their sins in purgatory. Luther, much like Lot in the Old Testament, was a righteous man in anguish over sinful acts of lawless men, (2 Peter 2:7) so he penned his 95 Theses on October 31, 1517.

What were the enduring ramifications?

Initially opposing the pope’s attempt to sell salvation, Luther’s study of Scripture eventually led him to clash with the church of Rome on other issues, including the supremacy of Scripture over church tradition, and the means by which men are justified in the sight of God.

Robert Rothwell describes the immense impact of Luther’s discovery of salvation by grace alone through faith alone,

“Martin Luther’s rediscovery of this truth led to a whole host of other church and societal reforms and much of what we take for granted in the West would have likely been impossible had he never graced the scene. Luther’s translation of the Bible into German put the Word of God in the hands of the people, and today Scripture is available in the vernacular language of many countries, enabling lay people to study it with profit. He reformed the Latin mass by putting the liturgy in the common tongue so that non-scholars could hear and understand the preached word of God and worship the Lord with clarity. Luther lifted the unbiblical ban on marriage for the clergy and by his own teaching and example radically transformed the institution itself. He recaptured the biblical view of the priesthood of all believers, showing all people that their work had purpose and dignity because in it they can serve their Creator.”

 All of the above is why Reformation Day, October 31, must hold a special place in the heart of every protestant, and why the motto of the Protestant Reformation became “After Darkness, Light.”

The Reformation stands as a powerful testimony of “the power of the Word of God to penetrate into places of spiritual and cultural darkness and transform the people of God.”

References:

https://www.ligonier.org/blog/what-is-reformation-day/
https://www.ligonier.org/blog/what-reformation-day-all-about/

God Meets Us

Life often seems to be an unending series of meetings, some of which turn out to be trivial, while others quite consequential. And yet, none is as impactful as a meeting with God.

Isaiah 64:5 states,

“You meet him who joyfully works righteousness, those who remember you in your ways.”

 Octavius Winslow writes about this passage,

“God meets His people in all their works of faith and labors of love. They are never alone. He meets them in the path of duty and of trial- both in doing and in suffering His will.

– He meets them, when embarrassed; with counsel;
– He meets them, when assailed, with protection;
– He meets them, when exhausted, with strength;
– He meets them, when faint, with cordials.

 If we take up Christ’s cross upon our shoulder, Christ will take both us and our cross up in His arms. If we bow down our neck to His yoke, and bend low our back to His burden, we shall find our rest in both.”

 

 

Coming of Age

The Apostle Paul writes,

“Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth.”
(Colossians 3:2)

Of this verse Puritan Thomas Watson commented,

“…Our affections should be very narrow downwards to the earth, but wide and large upwards towards heavenly things. Thus we see that death is a privilege to believers; death is yours, the heir, while he is underage, is capable of the land he is born to, but he has not the use of the benefit of it, till he comes of age. Be as old as you will, you are never of age until you die. Death brings us of age and then the possession comes into our hands.”

It is strange to consider:

  • Martin Lloyd-Jones dying at 82;
  • Hudson Taylor passing away at 73;
  • and Gladys Aylward going to be with the Lord at 68,

as all “not being of age.”

And yet, as believers, who lived heavenly-minded lives on earth, death was a privilege, whereby they took possession of their heavenly inheritance as a child of God, saved by grace through faith in Christ Jesus’ atoning death and resurrection.

The Power of the Pen and Providence

Approximately 25 years after Christ’s ascension, at the close of his third missionary journey, Paul wrote a letter to the church in Rome from the Greek city of Corinth. As he is preparing to travel to the Jerusalem church with an offering for the poor believers, he pauses long enough to write a letter to a church he has never visited. He writes to introduce himself, but being the teacher he is, Paul can’t help but also teach his new friends about the righteousness that comes from God—the great truths of the gospel of grace.*

This letter, the Book of Romans, written by the greatest Christian to ever live, to a group of people he would never meet, in God’s providence has left an immeasurable impact on humanity.

It was said of Martin Luther upon reading Romans,

“And so, the lights came on for Luther. And he began to understand that what Paul was speaking of here was a righteousness that God in His grace was making available to those who would receive it passively, not those who would achieve it actively, but that would receive it by faith, and by which a person could be reconciled to a holy and righteous God.”

In May of 1738, a failed minister and missionary reluctantly went to a small Bible study where someone read aloud from Martin Luther’s Commentary on Romans. “While he was describing the change which God works in the heart through faith in Christ, I felt my heart strangely warmed. I felt I did trust in Christ, Christ alone, for my salvation, and an assurance was given me that he had taken my sins away, even mine.” John Wesley was saved that night in London.*

John Calvin said of Romans, “When anyone understands this Epistle, he has a passage opened to him to the understanding of the whole Scripture.”

And the great theologian, G. Campbell Morgan, said Romans was “the most pessimistic page of literature upon which your eyes ever rested” and at the same time, “the most optimistic poem to which your ears ever listened.”

It is amazing to see how the Sovereign of the universe graciously condescends to use fallen humanity and unremarkable circumstances to communicate His perfect plan of salvation.

* Source: Bare Bones Bible Handbook

** Source: Enduring Word Commentary

Small Things

Think for a moment of some amazing, historical men and women of God.

Have you ever wondered what it would have been like to witness the calling of spiritual giants like Amy Carmichael, Hudson Taylor, George Muller, or Jim and Elizabeth Elliott? To have been present the moment that those individuals responded to the call of Christ in their life and began the journey of immense impact for the Kingdom of God?

If we were to have witnessed first-hand the calling of a missionary pioneer to South Africa who would serve faithfully for over 50 years, it would have looked no different then what we witnessed recently in the Dominican Republic, during a vacation bible school, where numerous children responded to a Gospel presentation.

In Zechariah 4:10 the Lord challenged Zechariah, “Who dares despise the day of small things?”

This short phrase refers to the building of the second temple, which was contemptible to the enemies of Judah, and little in the eyes of many of the Jews themselves, who had seen the former temple built by Solomon, yet not in the eyes of the Lord of hosts.

Fred Barlow writes on wholesomewords.org,
When I think of Robert Moffat, I am rightly reminded of the Scripture in Zechariah 4:10, which
witnesses, “For who hath despised the day of small things?” It seemed a small thing to some godly men in a southern Scotland church when a boy about four years old, from a home of poor but pious parents, knelt at an altar to pray. His decision was despised by the elders as one who was too young to understand. Thank God, one unnamed, unknown-to-us brother bothered to kneel in prayer with “Robbie.” Moffat may well have been converted to Christ then — if not, it was the commencement of a chain of events that led to his conversion and to the opening of doors of evangelism to the uncharted depths of the dark continent of Africa.

While growing up, his mother during the long winter evenings would tell Robert and his siblings of stories of missionaries. In his teens he saw a sign announcing a missionary meeting. Robbie attended and responded to God’s call on his life to become a missionary. He went on to serve the Lord faithfully for 50 years: Laying the foundation of the church in Botswana and Zimbabwe; translating the Bible into foreign languages, a task that in one case took 17 years.

The prime minister of South Africa said of Robert Moffat, “Among missionaries, there was none greater, none holier.”

When on March 20, 1870 he preached his last sermon, most of the congregation were the children of his first church 50 years earlier.

The Lord had graciously allowed him to play a role in generational change for Christ. This is our prayer for the Genesis Program as well, and a good reminder to never “dare despise the day of small things.”

The Gospel

Last month I had the opportunity to share the gospel at our church’s Vacation Bible School with the teenagers. While I wasn’t asked to do so until I arrived, I had anticipated the opportunity might present itself, and so I had prepared a brief outline before heading inside. When the pastor asked me to help, I smiled, agreed and remembered the words of Paul to his student Timothy,

“Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage–with great patience and careful instruction.” (2 Timothy 4:2)

The following was my outline:

I showed the students my graduate school class ring, explaining that it was the culmination of 20 years of education (12 grade school, 4 undergrad, 4 graduate). However, I explained that when I was their age I had made the most important and wise decision of my life, when I chose to believe the Gospel and trust Christ’s substitutionary death on the cross for my sins. At that moment, by the grace of God, the cross went from foolishness to the power of God to save me from my sins.

1Corinthians 1:18 – For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.

I then used Paul’s words to the church in Corinth to explain exactly what we mean when we use the term “Gospel.”

1 Corinthians 15 – Now, brothers and sisters, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand. 2 By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain. 3 For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures.

I went on to explain that until we receive God’s gift of salvation through his Son Jesus’ death and resurrection we are essentially a “Dead Man Walking,” the term used for death row prisoners, as Paul makes clear that we are dead in our sins, headed to an eternity separated from God, which we know as hell, but through Christ can be made alive until salvation.

Colossians 2:13-14 – When you were dead in your transgressions and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He made you alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our transgressions, having canceled out the certificate of debt consisting of decrees against us, which was hostile to us; and He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross.

However, Jesus himself indicated that faith in Him enables us to cross over from spiritual death to eternal life.

John 5:24 – I tell you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be judged but has crossed over from death to life.

We then prayed through Romans 6:23,

For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in[a] Christ Jesus our Lord.

And I offered them an opportunity to, in their owns words in the quietness of their hearts reaffirm or for the first time, trust in Christ and make that all-important spiritual transaction between them and their Creator, remembering that,

But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:8)

I then challenged them with the following words of Paul,

Just as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, rooted and built up in him and established in the faith. (Colossians 2:6-7)

And recommended that they do the following three things, if they had made a profession of faith this week:

– Tell a leader/parents
– Get a bible and begin reading The Gospel of John
– Begin faithfully attending a Bible-teaching church

While only the Lord knows those who, in that moment, “produced fruit in keeping with true repentance” (Matt. 3:8); however, we trust the Holy Spirit’s continuing work in their lives, remembering Paul’s words,

And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ. (Phil. 1:6)

Wanted: Zealots

There is one characteristic, above all else, that sums up what we, as an organization, look for in those who desire to serve on short-term teams, in order to encourage and equip (and be edified) by our full-time, in-country church partners.

That phrase, found in Titus 2:14, is “zealous for good works,” where an individual is willing to labor in any capacity that furthers the cause of Christ, casting aside any personal preferences or inhibitions, in order that they might maximize God’s glory in their momentary service alongside their Dominican brothers and sisters in Christ.

Titus 2
“11 For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, 12 training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, 13 waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, 14 who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works.”

J C Ryle writes of this passage and characteristic,

“Zeal in religion is a burning desire to please God, to do His will, and to advance His glory in the world in every possible way. It is a desire which the Spirit puts in the heart of every believer when he is converted—but which some believers feel so much more strongly than others, that they alone deserve to be called zealous. It impels them to make any sacrifice, to go through any trouble, to deny themselves to any amount, to suffer, to work, to labor, to toil, to spend themselves and be spent, and even to die, if only He can please God and honor Christ. They see only one thing, care for one thing, live for one thing, are swallowed up on one thing, and that one thing is to please God. Whether they live or whether they die; whether they have health or sickness, whether rich or poor; whether they please others or give offense; whether they are thought wise or foolish; whether they get blame or praise; whether they get honor or shame—for all this the zealous person cares nothing at all. He burns for one thing; and that one thing is to please God and to advance God’s glory.

 I want to strike a blow at the lazy, easy, sleepy Christianity of these latter days, which can see no beauty in zeal, and only uses the word ‘zealot’ as a word of reproach. I want to remind Christians that ‘Zealot’ was a name given by our Lord to His Apostle Simon as a mark of honor, and to persuade them to be zealous men…. There is in a sense in which it may be said that zeal is contagious. Nothing is more useful to the adherents of Christianity than to see a real live Christian—a thoroughly zealous man of God…. Zeal is good for a Christian’s own soul…. It will help mightily to promote inward feelings of joy, peace, comfort, and happiness. None have so much enjoyment of Christ as those who are ever zealous for His glory.”