sacrifice

Jesus: Born to Die

“But before faith came, we were kept in custody under the law, being shut up to the faith which was later to be revealed. Therefore the Law has become our tutor to lead us to Christ, so that we may be justified by faith. But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor. For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s descendants, heirs according to promise.” Galatians 3:23-29

As I’ve written in recent posts, I’ve been reading straight through the Old Testament again and just finished. It has been an amazing journey because so often we lose sight of the wholeness of the Gospel. We serve a God who is not only Creator but a loving and disciplinary Father. He never changes (Malachi 3:6) and is always faithful. He keeps His promises, but that doesn’t mean humanity doesn’t face consequences for their sin. Since the fall of Adam and Eve, the LORD GOD, Yahweh, made the promise of redemption for those who would follow Him. Genesis 3:15 foreshadows the triumph of Christ over the enemy, but as we know, that didn’t happen right away. As Peter reminds us in 2 Peter 3:9 regarding Christ’s return and the Lord’s judgment, “The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance.” The majority of the Old Testament illustrates the failure of humanity; namely, the failure of His chosen people to be faithful to Him. Since being led into the wilderness in Exodus, Israel failed to be the people God called them to be. They were swayed by the world, by the nations around them who worshipped false, man-made gods. They forgot what had been done for them, and they forgot the Law that was to keep them holy before the Lord. And if God’s people failed, what hope is there for the rest of humanity?

It’s true that most of the Old Testament demonstrates humanity’s unfaithfulness, but more importantly, it illuminates the Lord’s grace, mercy, and compassion. He was angry but not forever. He disciplined and punished but only for a time. Why? To turn His people’s heart back to Him. Every time His purpose was to reestablish His relationship–His covenant–with people who chose to be faithful to Him. And He gave the promise of the Righteous Branch, the Messiah:

“‘Behold the days are coming,’ declares the LORD, ‘when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch; and He will reign as king and act wisely and do justice and righteousness in the land. In His days Judah will be saved, and Israel will dwell securely; and this is His name by which He will be called, ‘The LORD our righteousness.’’” Jeremiah 23:5-6

In the midst of being warned of Jerusalem’s fall and Judah going into exile, the people receive this amazing message of hope. God is not done with them yet, and He will keep His promise that He made since the beginning of the world. Even Abraham, although no Law was given yet, knew about the coming Messiah. Jesus speaking to the Jews says,

“‘Your father Abraham rejoiced to see My day, and he saw it and was glad.’ So the Jews said to Him, ‘You are not yet fifty years old, and have You seen Abraham?’ Jesus said to them, ‘Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was born, I am.’” John 8:56-58

What a powerful moment! Throughout history, God has put His truth in the hearts and minds of those who would be faithful to Him. The promise to Abraham was for ALL the families of the earth to be blessed (Genesis 12:3). This was before Israel even existed; therefore, God’s intention was always for ALL of mankind to be blessed in Him. The Law was given to the Israelites because God chose them to be His people, and the Law taught them how to be holy and remain in right-standing with Him. But they continually broke, ignored, or forgot the Law. In Jesus’ day, the Jewish leaders became self-righteous, claiming to be adherers of the Law when they continuously violated it:

“For indeed circumcision is of value if you practice the Law; but if you are a transgressor of the Law, your circumcision has become uncircumcision. So if the uncircumcised man keeps the requirements of the Law, will not his uncircumcision be regarded as circumcision? And he who is physically uncircumcised, if he keeps the Law, will he not judge you who though having the letter of the Law and circumcision are a transgressor of the Law? For he is not a Jew who is one outwardly, nor is circumcision that which is outward in the flesh. But he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is that which is of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the letter; and his praise is not from men, but from God.” Romans 2:25-29

When Paul wrote this, he knew the gravity of what he had written. As he says in Philippians 3:4-6, he knew the Law and followed the Law to where he could boast in his flesh if he wanted to. But in truth, everything comes down to the intent and motive of the Law, which Jesus simply teaches to anyone who has ears to hear:

“‘In everything, therefore, treat people the same way you want them to treat you, for this is the Law and the Prophets.’” Matthew 7:12

“But when the Pharisees heard that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered themselves together. One of them, a lawyer, asked Him a question, testing Him, ‘Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?’ And He said to him, ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the great and foremost commandment. The second is like it, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ On these two commandments depend the whole Law and the Prophets.” Matthew 22:34-40

The purpose of the Law was to love God and love others, and in this, Israel failed. In fact, we all have. No earthly sacrifice is great or lasting enough to keep us in right-standing with God because we continue to fail and fall into sin. But the Lord God already knew this, and Israel’s failure became the rest of the world’s gain as Paul writes in Romans 11:5-15:

“In the same way then, there has also come to be at the present time a remnant according to God’s gracious choice. But if it is by grace, it is no longer on the basis of works, otherwise grace is no longer grace. What then? What Israel is seeking, it has not obtained, but those who were chosen obtained it, and the rest were hardened; just as it is written,

‘God gave them a spirit of stupor,
Eyes to see not and ears to hear not,
Down to this very day.’

And David says,

‘Let their table become a snare and a trap,
And a stumbling block and a retribution to them.

Let their eyes be darkened to see not,
And bend their backs forever.’

I say then, they did not stumble so as to fall, did they? May it never be! But by their transgression salvation has come to the Gentiles, to make them jealous. Now if their transgression is riches for the world and their failure is riches for the Gentiles, how much more will their fulfillment be! But I am speaking to you who are Gentiles. Inasmuch then as I am an apostle of Gentiles, I magnify my ministry, if somehow I might move to jealousy my fellow countrymen and save some of them. For if their rejection is the reconciliation of the world, what will their acceptance be but life from the dead?”

Jesus becomes the bridge between the Jews and the Gentiles, bringing them into one flock as the Good Shepherd (John 10:16). Those who are called by God are not those who look a certain way outwardly like the Jews thought. They are those circumcised of the heart, living their lives in repentance and faith. All of that is possible because our Heavenly Father sent His Son, the Righteous Branch–the Messiah–as a baby in human flesh. He was (as is) fully God and fully man so that He could be the perfect sacrifice for our sin. This was planned from the beginning, and even after seeing all the unfaithfulness, hypocrisy and egregious sin, He STILL came into a sinful world in the most vulnerable state of being: a baby. He learned, lived, and asked questions. He was ridiculed not only by outsiders but His own family, all the while knowing His purpose was to die for them. Jesus was born to die for a world who hated Him. But love compelled Him. He came to dwell on this earth at precisely the right time. He died at precisely the right time. He was raised at the right time. You have come to learn and hear about Him at precisely the right time. Because the Lord knows all, is through all, and is above all (Ephesians 4:6). Nothing is done without His knowledge and purpose. And His purpose is to love you, His creation, and to be loved by you in return. 

“For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will hardly die for a righteous man; though perhaps for the good man someone would dare even to die. But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him. For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. And not only this, but we also exult in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation.” Romans 5:6-11

The entire Bible–both Old and New Testaments–is ONE message, ONE love letter from our Creator and Heavenly Father to His children whom He desperately desires to be His for eternity. As any book is meant to be read as a whole from beginning to end instead of cut apart, I encourage you to take the time to read the entire Gospel message. The Lord’s Word is for all who seek God and His truth, and you WILL understand it if you ask Him. It is not just for Sundays and Wednesday nights to listen to by a preacher. Know it and learn it yourself, and you will be amazed to discover who God is and how He speaks to you through His Word.

As Christmas approaches, may our hearts and minds be in right-standing with the Lord. May this time be an opportunity to be a witness to our families and friends who may not know the real Jesus. May our lives and actions speak more than our words, and may His truth pour out of us with His love. We have been given the greatest gift in Christ’s birth, death, and resurrection. Let’s share that gift with anyone who desires to receive it.

~~~

To emphasize the love of God in His Word, here is a song/poem originally written in 2021 called Love Divine.

© Lauren Demuth

Wives, Submit to Your Husbands

I can already sense the raised eyebrows and crossed arms. Submit?! We can often handle the word “respect” but “submit” is too much. However, this way of thinking is not Spirit-inspired but rather culture-inspired. In Western cultures, it is rare to hear anyone in society support the notion of hierarchy and submission within the home. And if we’re honest, the church has done a poor job teaching Scripture’s truth on the roles of men and women in the home and in the church. I would argue that the majority of the church has succumbed to culture’s viewpoint rather than the Lord’s. So what is the Lord’s will for the church and our families?

Creation is where everything began for humanity. Genesis 1:26-30 provides a general overview of the creation of man and how we were made in the image of God. We were created male and female and were given dominion over the earth and commanded to be fruitful and multiply. God created all that we would need to survive. Genesis 2 gives us a bit more detail on the creation of man. In verse 7 we read that God formed man from the dust of the earth, breathed life into him, and set him in the garden that He created for man to cultivate. But the Lord saw that it was not good for man to be alone (v. 18) so He decided to make a helper suitable for him. Nothing in creation was suitable for Adam so that Lord caused Adam to fall into a deep sleep. He took one of his ribs and created Woman from it (vv. 21-22). Verses 23 and 24 state:

“The man said,

‘This is now bone of my bones,
And flesh of my flesh;
She shall be called Woman,
Because she was taken out of Man.’

For this reason a man shall leave his father and his mother, and be joined to his wife; and they shall become one flesh.”

We cannot deny from these passages that God created Adam first, and Eve was created from a part of him. We are unique from the rest of creation in a number of ways, but I believe this facet is one of the most striking. Man and woman are joined physically in bone and flesh hence the phrase “they shall become one flesh” in verse 24. 

Fast-forward thousands of years to the time of the early church. In Ephesians 5, Paul writes about relationships, and specifically in verses 22-33, he writes about husbands and wives. I have heard professors and preachers use verse 21 to promote mutual submission between husband and wife because it says, “and be subject to one another in the fear of Christ.” If that was the end of the discussion, I could see how this would lead to the idea of mutual submission. But the rest of Paul’s message provides an explanation to verse 21. Let’s read vv. 22-33:

“Wives, be subject to your own husbands, as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife, as Christ also is the head of the church, He Himself being the Savior of the body. But as the church is subject to Christ, so also the wives ought to be to their husbands in everything. Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her, so that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, that He might present to Himself the church in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she would be holy and blameless. So husbands ought also to love their own wives as their own bodies. He who loves his own wife loves himself; for no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ also does the church, because we are members of His body. For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and shall be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh. This mystery is great; but I am speaking with reference to Christ and the church. Nevertheless, each individual among you also is to love his own wife even as himself, and the wife must see to it that she respects her husband.”

What I love about this passage is how marriage is compared to the relationship between Christ and the church because it shows what love should look like and leaves no room to doubt that there is a hierarchy within the home. In explanation to verse 21, wives are instructed to be subject to their own husbands. In plain language, Paul explains that the husband is head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church. The church subjects itself to Christ; therefore, the wife is to subject herself to her husband. We wouldn’t say that Christ submits to the church so why do we say that husbands should submit to their wives? Scripture clearly denies this notion. Rather, it should be noted that husbands have a bit more instruction than the wives do because they are to emulate Christ and His love for the church. They ought to love their wives as their own bodies (going back to the creation account in Genesis) and to love sacrificially as Christ did, giving Himself up for the sake of the church. Husbands are given great responsibility in regards to their wives and families. In the same way we submit to Christ because of the love He has demonstrated to us, wives also ought to submit to their husbands. 

As we know, no marriage or relationship is perfect. We are sinful beings striving to live righteously in a sinful world. Peter writes to the church in 1 Peter 3:1-7:

“In the same way, you wives, be submissive to your own husbands so that even if any of them are disobedient to the word, they may be won without a word by the behavior of their wives, as they observe your chaste and respectful behavior. Your adornment must not be merely external—braiding the hair, and wearing gold jewelry, or putting on dresses; but let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the imperishable quality of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is precious in the sight of God. For in this way in former times the holy women also, who hoped in God, used to adorn themselves, being submissive to their own husbands; just as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord, and you have become her children if you do what is right without being frightened by any fear. You husbands in the same way, live with your wives in an understanding way, as with someone weaker, since she is a woman; and show her honor as a fellow heir of the grace of life, so that your prayers will not be hindered.”

Again, I want to reiterate that Peter, just like Paul, is writing to the church. They are instructions for believers and are not condoning abuse in any way. Rather, if a woman’s husband is not in right-standing with God, she’s not being told to point her finger at him and remind him of his faults as our culture often demonstrates. Instead, it is his wife’s behavior- respectful, gentle, quiet, modest- that can help him turn back to God. No words need to be said. We are not supposed to be self-seeking, boisterous, gossiping, nagging women. Often people get bent out of shape when they read “live with your wives in an understanding way, as with someone weaker, since she is a woman.” It is not meant to cause offense, but in truth, emotionally and physically we are weaker. We are led too often by emotions rather than wisdom, which can bleed into how we walk spiritually. When people continue reading, they would see that a husband’s behavior towards his wife is important for his own spiritual life: “show her honor as a fellow heir of the grace of life, so that your prayers will not be hindered.” That’s quite a powerful statement. If a husband is not doing his part in caring for his wife and being the spiritual leader that he’s meant to be, God may not give heed to his prayers until the situation has been reconciled. Husbands and wives are both responsible to fulfill their God-given roles. 

It’s easy to laugh at comedians who talk about husbands fearing their wives because of their many moods and whims. We even hear such quips from the pulpit. We laugh because we see this behavior in our own lives. As the church, our relationships are often not reflections of Scripture but of the world. If wives are not submitting to and respecting their husbands as the head of their household and husbands are not loving and caring for their wives like Christ loves the church, why should we expect God to move in our families and in the church? What example are we setting for non-believers when our lives look just like theirs? How many marriages have ended in failure and how much of that could’ve been prevented just by following God’s Word? Wives, it is not our job to be the spiritual head of the household. It isn’t. Should we pray? Absolutely! Should we cover our husband and children in prayer? Yes! Should we be in the Word and lead by example? Yes! But men in our culture have been told that they’re toxic and that they’re unwanted and not needed. They have been emasculated by the media, politics, and yes, even the church. So how can we expect them to be leaders when they’re told just the opposite? We need men like Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, David, etc. They were not perfect, but they strived to be men of God, leading the people of Israel in strength and righteousness. Isn’t that the kind of husband you want leading your family? As women, don’t we want to honor God by how we treat our husbands? We have to stop caring if the world is offended by our behavior and get our hearts, minds, and attitudes back to the truth of God’s Word. 

The world needs to see real love. Christ is the ultimate demonstration of that love, and our marriages should be a reflection of Christ’s love to His bride.

© Lauren Demuth

Worthy of Our Calling

As I continue to read through the New Testament, and especially in Paul’s letters, this particular phrase keeps popping up: “Walk in a manner worthy of your calling.” What does that mean? Let’s look at some verses (NASB translation) with this instruction:

Ephesians 4:1-3 – “Therefore I, the prisoner of the Lord, implore you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called,  with all humility and gentleness, with patience, showing tolerance for one another in love, being diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.”

Philippians 1:27-28 – “Only conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or remain absent, I will hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel; in no way alarmed by your opponents—which is a sign of destruction for them, but of salvation for you, and that too, from God.”

Colossians 1:9-12 – “For this reason also, since the day we heard of it, we have not ceased to pray for you and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so that you will walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please Him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; strengthened with all power, according to His glorious might, for the attaining of all steadfastness and patience; joyously giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints in Light.”

1 Thessalonians 2:9-12 – “For you recall, brethren, our labor and hardship, how working night and day so as not to be a burden to any of you, we proclaimed to you the gospel of God. You are witnesses, and so is God, how devoutly and uprightly and blamelessly we behaved toward you believers; just as you know how we were exhorting and encouraging and imploring each one of you as a father would his own children, so that you would walk in a manner worthy of the God who calls you into His own kingdom and glory.”

2 Thessalonians 1:3-5 – “We ought always to give thanks to God for you, brethren, as is only fitting, because your faith is greatly enlarged, and the love of each one of you toward one another grows ever greater; therefore, we ourselves speak proudly of you among the churches of God for your perseverance and faith in the midst of all your persecutions and afflictions which you endure. This is a plain indication of God’s righteous judgment so that you will be considered worthy of the kingdom of God, for which indeed you are suffering.”

2 Thessalonians 1:6-12 – “For after all it is only just for God to repay with affliction those who afflict you, and to give relief to you who are afflicted and to us as well when the Lord Jesus will be revealed from heaven with His mighty angels in flaming fire, dealing out retribution to those who do not know God and to those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. These will pay the penalty of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power, when He comes to be glorified in His saints on that day, and to be marveled at among all who have believed—for our testimony to you was believed. To this end also we pray for you always, that our God will count you worthy of your calling, and fulfill every desire for goodness and the work of faith with power, so that the name of our Lord Jesus will be glorified in you, and you in Him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.”

The Lord is so good to us that He doesn’t leave us wondering what “walking in a manner worthy of your calling” means. First, this command is given to the church as a whole. As the body of Christ we should be walking in a manner worthy of our calling in order to glorify God in this world. Second, it is also an individual command because as you read in each letter, not everyone is acting as a Christian should. Each Christian should examine oneself to see where his or her standing is with the Lord and make the changes needed to be worthy of the calling of being a believer in Christ. In each of these passages, Paul explains how we should live. Sometimes it’s easier for me to take it all in with a list so here’s a list based on what we’ve just read:

A Christian walks in a manner worthy of his or her calling by:

  • Demonstrating tolerance for those within the church in love, humility, gentleness and patience
  • Diligently preserving the unity of the Spirit in peace
  • Standing firm in one spirit with believers
  • Striving with other believers in one mind for the faith of the gospel
  • Trusting in God rather than being afraid of opponents of the gospel
  • Bearing fruit in every good work
  • Increasing in the knowledge of God and His will
  • Strengthened with God’s power to be able to attain steadfastness and patience
  • Joyously giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be part of His kingdom
  • Accepting exhortation and encouragement from those with spiritual wisdom and discernment
  • Persevering in the midst of trials for the sake of the gospel
  • Having faith in the midst of trials for the sake of the gospel
  • Suffering for the gospel knowing that God will deliver retribution at Christ’s coming

We could easily add to this list with other passages from Scripture, but notice how all of these actions are important as a BODY of believers. The love we have for one another and how we treat one another should be a testament to the world. But if church looks like the world, what distinction is there? Are we willing to be set apart for God’s kingdom knowing that it may make us a target of suffering in one way or another? 1 Thessalonians 2:12 struck me where it says “so that you would walk in a manner worthy of the God who calls you into His own kingdom and glory.” Not only are we called into a kingdom beyond anything we can imagine, but we are also called into God’s glory. The God who created all things with a word calls us to share that glory. The God who came down to a sinful world to save His people as only He could calls us to share that glory. The God who died and took every sin upon Himself as the perfect sacrifice calls us to share that glory. The God who raised Jesus Christ from the grave to give every person the opportunity to spend eternity with Him calls us to share that glory. It feels impossible to be worthy of such a calling. How can we be? And that’s just it. We can’t. On our own, we are unworthy. But the love and sacrifice of our amazing, incomparable God has MADE us worthy because HE IS WORTHY!!! What other god would give itself to meager people? What other god would allow those people to share its glory? NONE! That is why Yahweh is the Lord of lords and King of kings who created humanity–because of LOVE. He WANTS us to be with Him even after all we’ve done. Even after all the slander to His name. Even after all acts of disobedience and defiance. He is still worthy above it all. He is still glorified above it all. He is still love above it all. He is still forgiving above it all. He is still extending His hand above it all. But make no mistake, God is a jealous God who will not tolerate lukewarm devotion. We cannot love God and be friends with the world (James 4:4). If we say we’re willing to give it all, we need to mean it with our lives because He is worthy of it. And as Paul indicated in 2 Thessalonians 1:11-12, we want to be counted by God as worthy of our calling when Christ returns so that the name of Jesus will be glorified in us and us in Him. On that day, we will no longer be able to ask these questions: Did I diligently study God’s word of truth to know Him and understand His will? Did I treat brothers and sisters with all humility, gentleness, peace and love to build them up and be an example to the world? Did I persevere in faith in the midst of trials? Did I stand up for the Lord when everyone else around me fell silent? Did I put the Lord first above all else in my life?

Sometimes all of these questions and thoughts seem overwhelming. How can we ever achieve them? One thing that the Lord has reminded me lately is that He’s already overcome everything. Everything we have faced, are facing, or will ever face, the Lord has overcome it with His death and resurrection. He will return, and He will reign, and we will forever be with Him if we are faithful believers. What happens in our lives until then will either glorify God or not. We are not perfect so we will have difficult moments and failures and setbacks. But then instead of getting down on ourselves and getting stuck in a pit, we have the choice to ask, “How can I glorify the Lord in this?” In other words, we can choose to take the eyes off of ourselves and circumstances which is just a moment in time and focus on the God who is eternal.

Let’s encourage one another and exhort each other as the body of believers so that we can glorify the King of kings in a world that desperately needs to know and understand the love of our Savior. May we demonstrate that love to each other so that it overflows into every aspect of our lives, bringing others to the saving grace that God has given as a gift for them.

©Lauren Demuth

Thank You, Veterans!

On this Memorial Day we remember the men and women who have chosen to serve and fight for freedom. Some have given their lives on the battlefield. Many return home and struggle with the atrocities they have seen and what they have experienced. Their lives have forever been changed. Their families’ lives have changed as they wait for their loved ones to come back. We owe all of them so much for their sacrifice. To all of you who have served or are currently serving in the United States military, thank you! Also, thank you to the families who have sacrificed the comfort of being together for the sake of our freedom and protection. You are not forgotten.

 

©Lauren Heiligenthal

The Joy of Sacrifice

 

“Adversity is unavoidable in life, but it does not necessitate defeat. The Word of God never promises Jesus followers a comfortable and secure life. It promises that, despite the inevitable storms of life, God is bigger than such storms. ‘In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world’ (John 16:33).”[1]

Adversity. Sacrifice. Tribulation. From the world’s perspective these words are devoid of hope. However, this is not the case for thousands of Christ followers around the world. They not only view trials as honorable sacrifices, but they embrace them with joy knowing that the Lord is on their side. Whether God leads them to escape or comforts them until the end, their joy is real and encourages others to ask themselves, “Who is this Christ?”

The Voice of the Martyrs recently released a book called I Am N: Inspiring Stories of Christians Facing Islamic Extremism. As I was reading story after story the other day, I knew I had to share and encourage you to read this book. With the way Western culture is right now, political correctness has become more important than truth. People are criticized or even persecuted for saying anything negative about Islam, and the media only reinforces such actions. I Am N cuts through all the facades and focuses on real people with real stories of salvation, grace, persecution, and sacrifice.

We are the body of Christ called to uplift our brothers and sisters around the world. The stories in this book provide insight into what has been escalating over the last decade in the Middle East and Africa. These are people who either grew up Muslim or grew up in a Muslim culture and were without hope. The love of God and His mercy drew them to their knees knowing that trials would be the result. Like the book of Acts, their stories illustrate how God is being glorified even in the midst of some of the most heinous situations. Disowned by their families, beaten, tortured, imprisoned, they have persevered, some even unto death. I am amazed by the strength and courage of these men, women, and children, which they attribute to the Lord. What is even more inspiring is their forgiveness. Forgiveness for those who imprisoned them. Forgiveness for those who tortured them. Forgiveness for those who beheaded children to punish the parents’ decision to follow Christ. They bless when they are cursed. They spread the gospel knowing the cost. As a result, even persecutors (like Paul) have come to know the love of God.

These beautiful Christ followers have accepted that their lives will be hard because that’s exactly what Jesus said it would be. They follow because Christ is their reward. Let us praise God for using them mightily in the darkest places of the world. May we be steadfast and ready to give up everything for our Savior and bring light to those without hope!

Chosen Sacrifice (Inspired by reading these stories)

In the midst of doubt

You have revived me.

In my moment of fear

You have given me peace.

You have shown me the beauty

Of the cost,

The result of wanting more

Of You—

Only You.

I can hear the joy of the persecuted,

Of those ready to meet You.

I stand in awe of their courage,

Their insatiable need to speak the name

Above all names, Jesus.

Hope is only found in Him.

True life is from Him alone.

“To live is Christ;

To die is gain”—

The slogan of the persecuted,

The embraced gift,

The chosen sacrifice.

 

I am N: Inspiring Stories of Christians Facing Islamic Extremism can be purchased at Amazon.com at: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B012Q8TJ1Y?keywords=I%20am%20N&qid=1457728857&ref_=sr_1_1&s=books&sr=1-1

Or at The Voice of the Martyrs website:

https://secure.persecution.com/giftslip/default.aspx?cmp=GS0316&source=WEBC0316E

 

©Lauren Heiligenthal

[1] The Voice of the Martyrs, I Am N: Inspiring Stories of Christians Facing Islamic Extremists (Colorado Springs, CO: David C. Cook, 2016), Kindle edition Location 1639.

“Even Unto Death”

I just discovered that Audrey Assad, a Christian artist, has recently released a new album. In an interview (link below) she shared about her Syrian heritage and how many have suffered for the cause of Christ. One of her songs entitled “Even Unto Death” is a beautiful, heart-wrenching song that focuses on following Christ and His glory. We have so many brothers and sisters around the world who are standing up for Christ at all costs. Many have lost their lives for His sake. This song is a tribute to them and to all who follow Christ even unto death.

“Even Unto Death” lyrics

Jesus
The very thought of You
It fills my heart with love
Jesus
You burn like wildfire
And I am overcome

Lover of my soul
Even unto death
With my every breath I will love You
Lover of my soul
Even unto death
With my every breath I will love You

Jesus
You are my only hope
And You, my prize shall be
Jesus
You are my glory now
And in eternity

Lover of my soul
Even unto death
With my every breath I will love You
Yeah, Lover of my soul
Even unto death
With my every breath I will love You

In my darkest hour
In humiliation
I will wait for You
I am not forsaken
Oh, I lose my life
Oh, my breath be taken
I will wait for You
I am not forsaken
One thing I desire
To see You in Your beauty

You are my delight
Yeah, You are my only
You have sacrificed
Oh, Your love is all consuming
You are my delight
Yeah, You are my glory
Oh, You are my glory
Oh, You are my glory
Yeah

You’re the lover of my soul
Even unto death
With my every breath I will love You
You’re the lover of my soul
Even unto death
With my every breath I will love You

I will love You
Even unto death, I will love You
With my every breath I will love You
Jesus
The very thought of You
Jesus
The very thought of You 

Read the interview with Audrey and watch a video with the song at http://www.newreleasetoday.com/article.php?article_id=1697

Creation’s Testimony

 

There’s something about being in nature that makes me feel closer to God. With that being said, I’m not the typical outdoors person, and I believe it’s safe to diagnose myself with a case of arachnophobia. Because of my fears I tend to forget the effect of creation’s beauty, but when I finally take the time to relax and get out there I’m reminded again of how immense God is. Rather than that being a scary thought as it might be for some, I find it comforting.

This recent reminder began at the Creation Museum. I live close to it, but I made my first visit there a few weeks ago. It was marvelous! As you can probably guess, it’s not the typical museum. Rather than glorifying evolution as most museums do, it adheres to the Word of God and explains how events could have happened based on the testimony of Scripture. What’s ironic is that the explanations from Scripture are a lot less far-fetched than evolutionary ideas. But even more importantly, everything in the Creation Museum points to Christ, as all things should.

One of the most powerful scenes to me was that after the Fall, God had to sacrifice an animal to clothe Adam and Eve in their shame. This may not seem significant on the surface since we are used to eating meat or seeing leather goods, but before the Fall there was no death. Death did not exist until sin entered the world; therefore, God offered the first of many sacrifices to temporarily cover human sin. This continued until Christ became the ultimate sacrifice.

Even though we live in a sinful world because of mankind’s disobedience, God’s creation still testifies about Him. Every person is uniquely designed and created. Even identical twins can be so different (I know from being around a pair of identical twins all the time). Each one of us has the potential to offer something important in the kingdom of God. Our gifts and talents are a testimony of God’s design in us.

In addition to humanity, the rest of God’s creation is breathtaking. I love butterflies, and to think of the different stages they have to go through to become a butterfly is quite mindboggling. Everything has to be just perfect in order to work. Then there are so many different colors, shapes, and sizes that “beautiful” doesn’t seem to be the right word to describe it.

As I mentioned earlier, I’m scared of spiders, and when I see one in the house, I want it gone…permanently. But I can’t deny how special they are too. Just seeing how strong and intricate their webs are is a testimony of a divine Creator. They also eat mosquitoes so that’s a fair trade-off for letting some stick around.

We could travel the world and not even see a fraction of God’s creation, but by paying attention to what’s around us, we should be able to understand God’s love for us. This is what I mean: “Look at the birds of the air, that they do not sow, nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth much more than they? … And why are you worried about clothing? Observe how the lilies of the field grow, they do not toil nor do they spin, yet I say that not even Solomon in all his glory clothed himself like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, will He not much more clothe you? You of little faith!” (Matt. 6:26, 28-30 NASB). This passage talks about trusting the Lord in all things, including basic provisions, but it also testifies to how much He loves us. He takes care of His creation. The cycle of nature runs as it does because of God despite its sinful aspects. If we can witness the provisions from God to His creation, should we not also recognize how much He loves us and will provide if we trust in Him and follow His will? Jesus makes it clear in v. 33, “But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” God’s creation testifies that we are deeply loved if only we would take the time to see it.

Paul also writes about creation in Romans:

“For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because that which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them. For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse. For even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God or give thanks, but they became futile in their speculations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the incorruptible God for an image in the form of corruptible man and of birds and four-footed animals and crawling creatures. Therefore God gave them over in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, so that their bodies would be dishonored among them. For they exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.”  ~ Romans 1:18-25 NASB

Paul writes that the wrath of God is against men who “suppress the truth in unrighteousness.” A person cannot suppress the truth unless he or she already understands it. And how does a person understand it? God made it evident through His creation. But what was supposed to point people to God–creation–became the object of worship. Paul is writing about when all of this first started, not long after the Fall. “For even though they knew God” they decided to make images of gods or idols to be worshipped. What is also important to understand is that God let them make these choices. Why? The uniqueness of humanity compared to the rest of creation is having free will. People rejected His truth that was already evident to them. They willingly chose to disobey God. Instead of seeing God in His creation, they twisted creation for their own purposes, and led themselves down a path of sin leading to death.

Continuing from the previous passage:

“For this reason God gave them over to degrading passions; for their women exchanged the natural function for that which is unnatural, and in the same way also the men abandoned the natural function of the woman and burned in their desire toward one another, men with men committing indecent acts and receiving in their own persons the due penalty of their error. And just as they did not see fit to acknowledge God any longer, God gave them over to a depraved mind, to do those things which are not proper, being filled with all unrighteousness, wickedness, greed, evil; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, malice; they are gossips, slanderers, haters of God, insolent, arrogant, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, without understanding, untrustworthy, unloving, unmerciful; and although they know the ordinance of God, that those who practice such things are worthy of death, they not only do the same, but also give hearty approval to those who practice them.” ~ Romans 1:26-32

People’s disobedience and worship of God’s creation led them to sin which they willingly gave into. But it doesn’t stop there. Notice the shift between the past and present beginning with “and although they know the ordinance of God, that those who practice such things are worthy of death, they not only do the same but also give hearty approval to those who practice them” (v. 32). Paul isn’t just talking about people long ago. He shares this truth with the church in Rome for a reason:

“Therefore you have no excuse, everyone of you who passes judgment, for in that which you judge another, you condemn yourself; for you who judge practice the same things. And we know that the judgment of God rightly falls upon those who practice such things. But do you suppose this, O man, when you pass judgment on those who practice such things and do the same yourself, that you will escape the judgment of God? Or do you think lightly of the riches of His kindness and tolerance and patience, not knowing that the kindness of God leads you to repentance? But because of your stubbornness and unrepentant heart you are storing up wrath for yourself in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God, who will render to each person according to His deeds: to those who by perseverance in doing good seek for glory and honor and immortality, eternal life; but to those who are selfishly ambitious and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, wrath and indignation. There will be tribulation and distress for every soul of man who does evil, of the Jew first and also of the Greek, but glory and honor and peace to everyone who does good, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For there is no partiality with God.” ~ Romans 2:1-11 (NASB)

Paul teaches everything in Romans 1 because the church in Rome (yes, the church) is practicing the same things. They have knowledge of God. They know the truth even to the point that understanding the consequence of the aforementioned sins is death. Yet they are practicing the same things and encouraging others to do the same. There is no sense in writing everything in Romans 1 if it doesn’t relate to the recipients. That would be costly and a waste of time. Rather, there are people in the church of Rome who are behaving like those who turned from worshipping God and worshipped the creation instead. The consequences of such defiance has led to a laundry list of sinful behavior, including everything from homosexuality to gossiping, which are all judged the same before God. If you continue to read through Romans, you’ll find that Paul spends much time explaining sin but not to that end. He discusses sin to such an extent not only to lead people to repentance but so that the church may grasp the magnitude of Christ’s sacrifice.

As a result of accepting such an undeserving sacrifice, we also have been given the Spirit of God:

“But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you. So then, brethren, we are under obligation, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh–for if you are living according to the flesh, you must die; but if by the Spirit you are putting to death the deeds of the body, you will live. For all who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, ‘Abba! Father!’ The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him so that we may also be glorified with Him. For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us. For the anxious longing of the creation waits eagerly for the revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself also will be set free from its slavery to corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation groans and suffers the pains of childbirth together until now. And not only this, but also we ourselves, having the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our body. For in hope we have been saved, but hope that is seen is not hope; for who hopes for what he already sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, with perseverance we wait eagerly for it.” ~ Romans 8:11-25 (NASB)

Mankind’s desire to worship creation and reject God demonstrates the truth about human nature. We are not born righteous but sinful. Our desire is to follow the lusts of the flesh, and without the Spirit, we would do just that. But anyone who has accepted Christ wholeheartedly has the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit and the desires of the flesh wage war until we receive the redemption of our body. The rest of creation groans with us; however, it does not have the Spirit. Rather, it testifies about God even for our benefit. May we appreciate it for how it can bring us closer to the Creator. May we also not fall into the same behavior as the church in Rome. As Christians, we know the truth. If we practice things that are against the truth, we act against God. If we suppress the truth, we act against God. It’s that simple. The evidence of God is in us and all around us. We are without excuse.

But thanks be to God who is rich in kindness and mercy and willing to forgive when we ask. Thanks be to God who demonstrates His miracles and power through His creation so that everyone can be a witness of His magnificence. He is worthy to be praised above all things!

Psalm 19

1 The heavens are telling of the glory of God;
And their expanse is declaring the work of His hands.
2 Day to day pours forth speech,
And night to night reveals knowledge.
3 There is no speech, nor are there words;
Their voice is not heard.
4 Their line has gone out through all the earth,
And their utterances to the end of the world.
In them He has placed a tent for the sun,
5 Which is as a bridegroom coming out of his chamber;
It rejoices as a strong man to run his course.
6 Its rising is from one end of the heavens,
And its circuit to the other end of them;
And there is nothing hidden from its heat.

7 The law of the Lord is perfect, restoring the soul;
The testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple.
8 The precepts of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart;
The commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes.
9 The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever;
The judgments of the Lord are true; they are righteous altogether.
10 They are more desirable than gold, yes, than much fine gold;
Sweeter also than honey and the drippings of the honeycomb.
11 Moreover, by them Your servant is warned;
In keeping them there is great reward.
12 Who can discern his errors? Acquit me of hidden faults.
13 Also keep back Your servant from presumptuous sins;
Let them not rule over me;
Then I will be blameless,
And I shall be acquitted of great transgression.
14 Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart
Be acceptable in Your sight,
O Lord, my rock and my Redeemer.

 

© Lauren Heiligenthal

 

Celebrating New Life

How can I ever express how grateful I am for Christ’s sacrifice? Nothing I say seems like enough, yet Jesus simply says, “Follow Me.” In John 17 Jesus prays for His disciples before He’s betrayed. He’s always thinking about His creation. Always asking the Father on our behalf. Because He loves us tremendously! The greatest act I could ever do to express my gratitude is to live my life like Christ and follow His truth:

“This is the message we have heard from Him and announce to you, that God is Light, and in Him there is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth; but if we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin. If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar and His word is not in us.” ~ 1 John 1:5-10 NASB

“Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. The one who does not love does not know God, for God is love. By this the love of God was manifested in us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world so that we might live through Him. In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has seen God at any time; if we love one another, God abides in us, and His love is perfected in us. By this we know that we abide in Him and He in us, because He has given us of His Spirit. We have seen and testify that the Father has sent the Son to be the Savior of the world.”~ 1 John 4:7-14

“Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and whoever loves the Father loves the child born of Him. By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and observe His commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments; and His commandments are not burdensome. For whatever is born of God overcomes the world; and this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith. Who is the one who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God? This is the One who came by water and blood, Jesus Christ; not with the water only, but with the water and with the blood. It is the Spirit who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth. For there are three that testify: the Spirit and the water and the blood; and the three are in agreement. If we receive the testimony of men, the testimony of God is greater; for the testimony of God is this, that He has testified concerning His Son. The one who believes in the Son of God has the testimony in himself; the one who does not believe God has made Him a liar, because he has not believed in the testimony that God has given concerning His Son. And the testimony is this, that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He who has the Son has the life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have the life.” ~ 1 John 5:1-12

Simple, straightforward, wonderful truth! In the Son we have life and only through Him.

Below is a poem I’ve posted before, but I’d like to share it again as a testament to Christ’s great love for us. May we follow Him wholeheartedly today and remember the cost of having our sins washed away.

Beauty

Beauty is not characterized

by the efforts of my appearance,

but was borne upon two wooden beams

and through three piercing nails.

 

With each drive of a nail

faces line up in the mind of the Savior,

one after another,

each with a mask of his own:

deception, shame, pride.

 

With each tear being shed

and every cry screaming from the cross,

women fall into the arms of men,

hoping to find true love and longing to hear

“You are beautiful.”

 

With each dig from the thorns

and tearing of flesh,

men seek fortune and fame,

believing that power can only be obtained through ambition and violence.

 

“It is finished.”

The world with its

tainted love and enticing roads to death

stands still.

 

Divine blood pours over

the lost and broken,

vain and deceptive,

young and aged.

 

It penetrates every evil,

wipes off each mask,

exposes truth

and defines true love.

 

This beauty can only be found

through such brokenness,

through such sacrifice,

with the invitation of accepting it for myself.

 

Beauty is the power of Your love

that flows through my veins

and enraptures all of who You are

in me.

 

©Lauren Heiligenthal

 

 

The Cost of Discipleship

Sacrifice (Written November 12, 2014)

Wishing things could be different,

but I can’t change time

nor anyone’s mind.

All I can do is live my life.

 

Leaving behind what I love for the sake of Christ

is a pleasing sacrifice

to the One

who paid the ultimate price.

~

I wish you could join me on this journey,

walking in the footsteps God places before you.

But you have chosen your own path,

your own understanding of truth.

 

While following the world

you declare your love for the King.

But the world hates Him.

What sacrifice do you bring?

 

You cannot serve both the enemy and the Creator,

death and life,

Satan and the Savior.

To be lukewarm is to be spit out of God’s mouth.

 

We all have the choice to be disciples

in our hearts and lives.

But the cost of discipleship

is high.

 

We are called to be distinctive from this world

and obey our Master’s commands.

We must declare all truth

and be who the Lord demands.

 

There are sacrifices to be made

when we walk in His name.

But how wondrous the rewards

when we see Him one day.

~

I can no longer look back

and drag you along with me.

You’re going the opposite direction,

preventing my feet from moving.

 

Even though I love you,

and I hate that we have to part,

this is what I must do for Christ,

offer my sacrifice.

© Lauren Heiligenthal

 

What is True Beauty?

Beauty (originally written May 27, 2009)

Beauty is not characterized

by the efforts of my appearance,

but was borne

upon two wooden beams and through three piercing nails.

 

With each drive of a nail

faces line up in the mind of the Savior, one after another,

each with a mask of his own:

deception, shame, pride.

 

With each tear being shed

and every cry screaming from the cross,

women fall into the arms of men,

hoping to find true love and longing to hear those words:

“You are beautiful.”

 

With each dig from the thorns

and tearing of flesh,

men seek fortune and fame,

believing that power can only be obtained

through ambitions and violence.

 

“It is finished.”

The world with its

tainted love and enticing roads to death

stands still.

 

Divine blood pours over

the lost and broken,

vain and deceptive,

young and aged.

 

It penetrates every evil,

wipes off each mask,

exposes truth

and defines true love.

 

This beauty can only be found

through such brokenness,

through such sacrifice,

with the invitation of accepting it for myself.

 

Beauty is the power of Your love

that flows through my veins

and enraptures all of who You are

in me.

© Lauren Heiligenthal