A Study of the Woman Caught in Adultery

In my regular Bible study, I came across the familiar story of the woman caught in adultery in John 8:1-11. Reading it recently, it fascinated me and I noticed many things I hadn't noticed before. It's been awhile since I've done a Bible study on my blog, so let's get to it.

First of all, the scene. Christ is teaching in the early morning at the temple (John 8:2). Not too soon after He sits down to teach, the scribes and Pharisees drag in a woman whom they claim was caught in the act of adultery. They pose a question to our Lord about the Law of Moses, and what He recommends to do with this woman. But John 8:6 claims they said this to test Him, to bring a charge against Him.

Let's stop right there. Right out the gate, we see these evil men are using the woman for their own gain. They are not seeking righteousness according to God's Law, they are trying to find some way to trap Jesus in His own words. If this woman was indeed "caught in the act" of adultery, and if indeed they were trying to trap Jesus with the Law, it is quite likely and highly probable the woman was set up. She was either a well-known prostitute, or the Pharisees knew she was someone's mistress, perhaps one of their own ranks. Perhaps she was wooed into it by a regular, or coerced to lie with her lover that night specifically in order to carry out this plan - unbeknownst to her. I do not believe these men caught her on a whim. This was no chance meeting. They did not rejoice that some random, serendipitous opportunity to trap Yeshua fell into their laps that very morning.

No. This was planned, and the Pharisees likely had the woman's lover in their back pocket.

Maybe they had given him a handsome sum, as they had with Judas. Perhaps they knew her lover's patterns and knew he'd be with her that morning. Perhaps he tipped them off and told them he would go in to her and they could find her with him in the morning. Whatever happened, it was planned, because they specifically used her situation to trap Christ.

Interesting side note, this woman was not the married party in the "adultery" charge, as there is no husband present accusing her before Christ. Therefore, the adultery came on the man's side - HE had been the married party - and notice he is conveniently absent from this exchange. Likely the scribes and Pharisees wanted a flesh-and-blood human to confront Christ with, as hypotheticals never seemed to work to trap Him. Since the man had presumably tipped them off, they hadn't dragged him along with them. But Christ would not be able to ignore a woman who had blatantly broken the Law of Moses. Another thing to note is that they seemed sincere with their inquiry in John 8:4 by calling Yeshua "Master". Yet another pretense.

Let's move on to the woman. She had been caught in adultery, which means, likely dragged from her bed in the early morning hours and brought straight to the temple. She was probably naked with maybe only a blanket covering her. I doubt the indignant Pharisees would wait for her to properly clothe herself. A naked woman would only serve to further their evil agenda.

She did not fight their charge or even say a word in her own defense. The charge was true. She had indeed spent the night with a married man. Imagine what was going through her mind at this point. Barely clothed, standing in the TEMPLE with the Jewish leaders, in front of a man the people believed to be the Messiah Himself. Every eye was on her. The poor thing must have been trembling and terrified. I can imagine her face wet with tears; maybe she hid her face with silent sobs. How could she stand it, being humiliated before all of Jerusalem in the holiest place on earth, accused before this very man who could do such amazing things?

No other man had ever cared for her. There might have been someone at one time, but seen as how she was a married man's lover, she either prostituted herself to him to get by, or she fell in love with absolutely the WRONG MAN. If he sold her out to the Pharisees, he cared nothing for her. Not only that, she stood guilty in the house of God. Both the fear of man and the fear of God must have been upon her. How long had it been since she'd set foot in the temple? If she was a woman of ill-repute, probably a very long time. She knew she didn't deserve to be in such a sacred place. She was going to die. She was preparing herself to be stoned.

And yet... this teacher stooped to write on the ground. He didn't seem perturbed at all by these men as they continued to ask Him. He did not grow angry, seem indignant, wrathful, or even particularly merciful. He was quiet for a little while. Then, He stood. He did not suggest they set aside the Law of Moses. In fact, He endorsed it in a genius way, instructing them to let the one who is without sin cast the first stone.

This was it. The woman knew this was the last moment of her life. She might have tensed up, or prayed desperately and fervently for God to forgive her sins. Christ, being Himself God in flesh, and knowing the hearts of all men, likely heard her prayers - if she did indeed pray and repent in that moment - of which I believe she did.

With a calm answer, Christ revealed to the scribes and Pharisees that the Law is a mirror to reflect our sins back at us, not a list of works to be made righteous before God. No one is faultless under the Law. The older men realized this first, who gave up and left, leaving the younger men to follow (John 8:9). They weren't about to go against their elders.

Once they were alone, Christ asks the woman, "Does no man condemn you?"

I can imagine the fear she had of opening her eyes. The sharp way she might have darted her head around. She probably looked like a deer in the headlights. I'm sure she probably swallowed hard a few times before answering Him.

"No man, Lord."

Let's stop here for a moment. A little while before, the Pharisees had insincerely called Christ "Master", yet this woman, in all submission and fear, calls Him, "Lord". She meant it. She said it without question. She was convinced this man was indeed the Messiah. She had just witnessed Him get the best of the holiest men in Israel with a simple pointed statement, which had revealed all of them needed a Savior!

Still wrapped in nothing but a blanket, her voice was probably timid and soft, not wanting to incur Yeshua's wrath as well. The interesting thing about Christ's question to the woman is that He was Himself a man. While her accusers had left, He was the only one left who could actually accuse her. He was, in fact, the only man present without any sin.

Yet He gives the woman the magnificent mercy of God: "Neither do I condemn you. Go and sin no more."

Looking into His kind eyes, this woman who had been so used by evil men, in her body, in her soul, and in her heart, saw for the first time true love, real respect, absolute gentleness, and sweet tenderness in the face of a man. This man, the Messiah, sent by God, in the midst of the temple, with nothing to offer Him but ...herself in a blanket.

I imagine she probably ran off, wanting desperately to be out of the spotlight, away from the scrutiny. If she held it together, she likely fell apart once she got home. But I am certain of one thing. Her entire life was changed. We don't hear anything more about her specifically, but she would have remembered Yeshua of Nazareth for the rest of her life. She would have listened to every word from His mouth. She would have followed Him to her grave.

Those who are forgiven much love much (Luke 7:47).

This woman had once loved the wrong man, but for the first time in her entire life, she loved the RIGHT MAN, the God-man, the Son of Man, the Lord Jesus Christ, who fought for her while she was as still as a lamb, who'd beaten back the ravening wolves from His precious sheep with sharp and brilliant precision, and saved a helpless woman from the snares of death.

She entered the temple naked and terrified; she left the temple forgiven and loved.

This is the glory of the grace of Christ, who came to earth to save sinners. O, how our precious Lord loves His daughters! I do not believe she went back to her lover or her life of prostitution. She had been forgiven by the Lord God! She would now live for Him with every beat of her heart, every breath in her lungs, and every word from her mouth.

Obviously I cannot say for certain this woman felt all these things for Christ, I can only judge through the lens of my own experience. But as a woman who has often felt used, unloved, and terrified, I can testify that one glance from the tender eye of Christ has ravished my own heart, and thus, seeing Him before her bodily, how much more did His glance hit its mark and claim her heart forever?

Amen, Lord. Thank You for loving us, for loving this woman, for loving me, so beautifully and completely.

Walking in the Power of God

What does it mean to walk in the power of God? Very simply, it is walking by the Spirit in faith and total abandon to our Lord Jesus Christ. I'm not talking about performing miracles, signs and wonders, or anything mystical. No. Rather, the power of God is given by God to the child of God to do the work of God. The Kingdom of God is not in word, but in power (1 Corinthians 4:20). We can often recognize believers who are walking in the power of God, but we don't really know what it is about them that marks them other than a gut feeling.

Here's my own little list of ten things to recognize those upon whom God's favor rests, which is in no way exhaustive, and is in no particular order. As you read through these things, ask yourself, do these describe you? If not, what actions can you take to be a believer who walks in the power of God?

1.) They're serious about their faith.

First, this believer cannot be blase about the things of God. They think upon them all the time. In fact, they daily meditate on the truths of God and try to understand them as best they can. They are not legalistic, but they believe a true Christian should walk in holiness and godliness, and they strive to that end. They avoid sinful activities and worldliness as much as they can. They're often very deep, and once you scratch the surface, you wonder if you'll ever come to the bottom of their hearts. Sometimes, their seriousness can be a weighty thing, and to the frivolous Christian, they can seem daunting to talk to. This serious soul doesn't want to talk about surface issues, they want to talk deeper realities, Heaven, Hell, life, death, righteousness, and iniquity. Two realities exist for these believers. Either they are regarded as a deep well upon which to draw, or they are avoided all together. Why? Because their seriousness about Christ shines a spotlight on those who are not serious about Him at all. Those who wish to be more serious about Christ draw near, while those who don't care to get closer to Him stand intimidated.


2.) They're living in their gifting.

It is not prideful to know how the Lord Jesus has gifted you. A Christian who knows their gifting will use it for His glory. You can tell when someone is phoning it in, and you can tell when someone isn't. One cannot fake a genuine gift from Heaven without being revealed a fraud. A true gifting is no struggle, it flows out of these believers like a stream of Living Water. When everything they do prospers, then you know you are dealing with a Christian walking in the power of God. The Bible speaks of the "aroma of Christ", and when you witness a believer working in God's power, you know exactly what that means. It is a stunning thing, to watch our brothers and sisters live out what our Lord had planned for them in His Body, as if each one of Christ's children has a unique piece of their Lord to put on display. Sometimes, a believer doesn't know their gifting, but others will know, as those around them will see for themselves the obvious power upon them from the Lord God. 

3.) They're saturated in Christ.

For this Christian, every day is spent with Christ. Perhaps not every single moment, but most of them. These have forsaken the world, choosing only to feed themselves upon things that will edify. They've given up reading fiction, secular music, or watching TV for themselves, and only partake in these when among others who might still enjoy them. Again, this is not legalistic, this is not what they believe all Christians should do, but for themselves, they find no enjoyment in anything apart from Christ. Some of these believers live in a vacuum of godliness and therefore keep themselves saturated in Jesus to ensure they will not fall away. Keeping these things before their eyes keeps their eyes full of light, and their mind on heavenly things. Their entire worldview is shaped through the lens of Christ, and like the Puritans, they can find Gospel lessons in just about anything in everyday life.


4.) They pray without ceasing.

Just as they spend all day in the presence of Christ, these same believers are in a perpetual state of communion with Him as well. They constantly have an open dialogue with Christ in their mind. Their inner dialogue isn't talking to themselves, they are talking to Jesus. Always. If God brings someone to mind, these pray for them on the spot. It is as if Christ is walking next to them all the time. They never leave their prayer closets. While these believers do have a special prayer time set aside to specifically talk to God, they are not "done" talking to God when they say "Amen." It is to these who pray without ceasing, who always have a direct and open line to God every hour of the day, who are led effortlessly by the Holy Spirit.


5.) They're a giver of thanks.

This point is very important. Never do they steal God's glory for themselves. These believers are quick to correct anyone who praises them and points all praise to the Lord Jesus Christ. This isn't in pretense, either. This is no faked humility. This is genuine; they truly do thank Jesus in all they do. Every time you turn around, they are thanking Jesus. Every prayer opens with thanks, closes with thanks, and is filled with thanks. The providence of God is quite obvious to these, and they know that all good things comes down from the Father of Lights. They even give thanks for the hard times and their afflictions, as they know God will work these together for good, and it's the will of God in Christ Jesus for them.


6.) They're born to worship.

These Christians are worshippers. They don't merely sing and dance to have fun, although they do have fun, they truly worship God from the bottom of their hearts and put it on full display without fear of anyone seeing. Again, not for their glory, but because they are totally abandoned to Christ in that moment. Often, they can inspire others to worship more fervently and openly as well. These are like King David, so in love with their God, they don't care who sees, knows, or scoffs; they will raise their hands and shout all the more.


7.) They give all credit to God.

It is God who gives every good and perfect gift, therefore, there is no other source of blessing for these believers. Not only do they take no glory for themselves, but they thank God for the circumstances of life. There is no such thing as luck or karma. All is ordained by the Lord God Almighty, Sovereign over all, whether a meal, a new coat, or a raise at work, and therefore they tell others of these amazing things God has given them. Glorifying God for moving in their lives is tied very closely to giving thanks in all things.


8.) They're mighty in the Scriptures.

Like the Apostle Paul, the Bereans (Acts 17:10-11), or Apollos from the book of Acts (Acts 18:24), Christians who walk in the power of God know the Word of God. They have read it and studied it so much, it is written on their hearts. They seem to pour forth Scripture when they talk, and you likely don't want to get into a debate with them about the subject. They are able to argue God's truth from His Word and point you directly to the chapter and verse where you can find it written. They do not rely upon the chicken wings of daily devotions, but the steak and potatoes of deeper study. One of the ways they stay saturated in Christ is to meditate upon His Word, to ponder what they've read, and tie it to other passages or promises elsewhere in Scripture. Often, these believers will take notes in their Bibles, and you will find their margins full of their thoughts.


9.) They don't rely upon their own strength.

The power of God can't often be put on display if one is boasting in a strength of their own. These believers know they are weak, for God delights in using the weak to confound the wise. Not everyone's weakness will be with disease, old age, or some physical malady. However, God disciplines every son He receives, and those He uses in His power have been humbled greatly. Whatever project these believers set out to do, they know it is impossible to complete unless God is with them in it. Even when they are in their gifting, if God isn't moving along with them, they will struggle to complete the task. There is no room for boasting here. Our flesh is too accustomed to praising ourselves. Therefore this Christian is well aware that all work for God must be done by the power of God to have any effect whatsoever. And once the work is done, they give all glory to God and much thanks for His provision.

10.) They're ever-increasing in wisdom and knowledge.

Through prayer, study, and experience, Christians who walk in the power of God are increasing in wisdom and knowledge in the things of God. Those whom God favors only get better, stronger, and more gifted through the years as they're sanctified by the Spirit. They do not stagnate, they are always moving forward, climbing onward to the city of God. They might supplement their Bible study by learning of church history, reading old sermons, or reading books from men who have gone on before them. There is no such thing as knowing everything they need to know, so they are always learning, a perpetual disciple. They have a hunger to know their Lord, and they will not stop learning of Him until Christ calls them home to Glory.

~*~*~

These are some of the distinguishing marks of a Christian walking in the power of God. Notice how these marks resemble those Christians of the first century. Believers such as these are not content to merely show up to church, they hunger and thirst for their God and chase after Him with everything inside of them. He is their Grand Pursuit, their One True Love, the Great Passion of their lives. This is what separates them from the crowd and why others can tell there is something different about them. 

God is the focus of their lives, the driving force, the One for whom their passions ignite. He is not a part of their lives, He is their life. Every breath is the Spirit, every heartbeat is Christ.

The simple fact is this. God uses those who are sold out for Him. He uses people who take Him seriously, who look around this world and lament the many who are perishing. They have no use for wasting time, they want to work for Jesus and store up treasures in Heaven. God favors those who glorify Him in truth, who want nothing more than to glorify Him through their lives. Our Lord looks at the heart and can clearly see if this desire is true or feigned. If it is feigned, nothing one can ever do will be able to counterfeit the power of God. 

But if it is true, nothing can stop a Christian faithfully praising the One who is the Giver, the Sustainer, and the Creator of all things, for He is with them in power and great glory.

Amen.

The Glory of God in the Heart of a Woman

Back in December, I wrote a piece about the glory of God in the heart of a man. I wrote it not only because Christ is truly God and truly man, but also that Christ is alive in the brethren, looking out through our eyes. To those who've never witnessed a true, godly life, it is glorious to behold. Being a woman myself, I cannot help but stand in awe of godly brothers, as compared to the unrighteousness so common in men of this world.

However, it occurred to me as I live my own life, striving to walk by the Spirit rather than by the flesh, it might help to write another piece, from my own perspective, about the glory of God in the heart of a woman. I think she is likewise breathtaking, when considered against worldliness, vanity, and the war on femininity in these days.

Scripture certainly seems to agree, considering the Proverbs 31 woman, Peter's description of true beauty, and how wisdom is personified as a godly woman.

There are several examples of godly women all throughout Scripture, and even though you do not see them, you love them. If you are a Christian, you cannot help but be struck by stories the likes of Mary of Bethany or Dorcas of Joppa. These were well-beloved, precious women. Why? Because they reflected Christ and loved much. They poured out their lives for their Lord, and in that was their beauty.

He was their beauty.

Here's where I think godly manhood and godly womanhood compliment each other. In a godly man, you witness the strength of Christ, the love of Christ, and also the tenderness of Christ. In a woman of God, you likewise see the tenderness, love, and strength of Christ, perhaps in varying degrees, but also, a woman shines His profound beauty.

Don't get me wrong, men absolutely do this as well. Christ's beauty can and does shine through the hearts of men. But it is not a man that Scripture describes as a lily, a dove, or more precious than rubies.

Why?

Take this for what it's worth, but this is my own experience with the matter. Women, for all intents and purposes, often leave scholarship to men. They are content to pray and get together with their sisters and do their Bible studies. There is nothing wrong in this! Many a lovely, saintly woman has marched on to Glory doing the same.

However, there is something to be said for the woman who takes the time to dig in and learn of her Savior, to appraise that Heavenly Jewel, to plunge into His Well, to drink deeply from His Fountain.

This gives women of God something of a "double portion" of the beauty of Christ. Not only does she know her Lord, she has a living and active relationship with Him that is unmistakable. She is not shallow, she is deep. She is not sparkling, she is radiant. Her glory is Christ's glory very much present in her. It is almost a tangible thing. Those around her can feel it in her presence. She does nothing but walk past, yet, it seems as if Christ Himself had done so. What is this specific glory?

It is called unction.

Unction is an old-timey theological word which means "anointing". We as Christians all have unction as we all have the Spirit of God alive within us, but this precious woman practically bathes in His Living Water. God Himself has poured out His glory for her, answering her prayers and anointing her life. How does this happen? Through a surrendered life. A truly surrendered life.

Men and women can both have God's unction upon them, but I believe it manifests in men and women in different ways. Men with unction protect the truth of God's Word and are bold and fearless when it comes to rebuking error and drawing lines in the sand for Christ. Women with unction nurture others, encourage the Body, and look to their Lord with eyes filled with His beauty. She makes Christ beautiful to those around her, and that is her special glory.

Because of this, women of God with unction of the Spirit are very precious to Christ. Not every believer sees His glorious beauty, or even has any familiarity with the "beauty of Jesus". But when they see her, they see Him. His beauty is unmistakable, shining from her face in radiant glory, as Moses descending Mt. Sinai.

She has spent many long and quiet hours with her Lord, sitting at His feet, learning of Him. She is storing up treasure in Heaven. She is even more of an anomaly if she is grown in the wilderness, with no other spiritual influence upon her. Driven by Christ to pursue Him no matter the personal cost to her, He has fashioned her for Himself as a mirror, if you will, that reflects Him to His Church.

"...beautiful as the moon, bright as the sun..." ~Songs 6:10

Even more, Christ makes absolutely certain that all will know His work in her is HIS WORK in her. These women are widows or unequally yoked, those bent over with disease, or the aged matriarchs of the family. In other words, these women are weak, frail, scared, lonely women. Often these are the ones overlooked by those in their family, who have endured great hardship, who had nowhere else to turn but to the Lord Jesus Christ.

And He has accepted them mightily. What lovely grace has He bestowed, to call these women His daughters? What manner of love has He given, that these might be called the children of God? What magnificent glory does He lavish, that these women fall deeper into the heart of Christ than anyone else they've ever known?

In short, Christ still has His Mary's of Bethany and His Dorcas's of Joppa within His Church. Perhaps their purpose in the Body is to showcase the transcendent beauty of Christ in a real and tangible way. These precious women will be looked upon in awe and wonder, so be advised, men of God, they must be protected. The beauty of Christ is magnetic yet divisive, and many will wish to adore and possess her, cruelly scoff at her, or wickedly use her for their own gain. If there is a woman with unction of the Spirit in your midst, protect her with your life if you have to.

She is the rarest of flowers in His garden, wondrously loved and exquisitely cherished by Christ. What the Great Husbandman has grown for His glory, let no man pluck for himself.

Amen.

The Glory of God in the Heart of a Man

Have you ever stopped to meditate upon the truth that God Himself entered into our world and lived as a man? This is the most fantastic thing to happen in the history of the world. God became tangible, a Person, one whom you could touch, hug, and speak with directly. Have you ever had trouble holding someone's eye contact? How about eye contact with the Son of God? To know with certainty the One you're looking at knows every little thing about you?

This makes me swoon. It is overwhelming. Christ would have been so magnetic, and yet, I think I might have avoided Him a little bit if I had lived then. His eyes would have skewered you where you stood. I can't even imagine the weight of that look He gave Peter when Peter denied Him.

O, a heart shattered to pieces by a mere glance!

And yet, gazing into the eyes of Christ is what I'm most looking forward to in Glory. There is no wrath in them for me. Even so, the weight of such stunning love could not be withstood by my tissue-paper heart until His work was finished in me, until Heaven. If those eyes gazed at me now, I think I might fall over dead.

The more I come to know who Jesus was as a man through reading His Word, the more I can relate to the women who ministered to Him, who anointed Him, who collapsed at His feet weeping. He is the most magnificent man who has ever lived. As a woman myself, I cannot help but be overcome by His glory, even veiled in flesh. I often wonder how many women were secretly in love with Him? He had to have had some hearts following along behind Him in this way. I think it's impossible to be faced with literal perfection and not want to possess it as your own. There certainly was a level of devotion given to Christ these women didn't seem to give their own men.

Even now, two thousand years removed, Christ remains the most magnetic man to ever live. He stands head and shoulders above the best of men, the greatest of kings, the wisest of the wise. Of course, the lion's share of our adoration for Jesus comes from His indwelling Holy Spirit, who is the Witness of His majesty. How amazing, Christ lived for us so that by His Spirit, He could live in us and through us. Christ, through His Spirit, is still on this earth, through the hearts, and the eyes, of His children, the Body of Christ.

Christ became a man, to indwell men. Here I am, swooning again. Every son, every daughter, to a certain degree, have the eyes of Christ. I do not think there is a greater truth than the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I do not think there is a higher honor than to have Christ alive in me.

This magnificent God, alive in me! That someone can look at me and see Him; that I can look at my brethren and see Him... O, how this overwhelms me!

"Do not look upon me, for I am black!"

And yet He replies:

"There is no flaw in you."

There is no flaw in HIM, therefore, in Him, there is no flaw in me. He is not apart from me, He is a part of me. He is all of me. He is in me. This is glory. The Son of God has united Himself to me, He lives through me, He looks out through my eyes. This is Glory!

God in a man... God in Christ... Christ in me...

Glory of glories, the most magnificent man is alive in me! I cannot fathom the depths of this bountiful treasure. It lays me out on the floor. And to see Christ in my brethren takes my literal breath away. It is often hard to look upon even them. He is so good to all of us, to shine His light through these jars of wretched clay.

Delight upon Christ this Christmas season and ponder these weighty things. What great and mighty majesty has He clothed us with by clothing us with Himself? What fear can conquer? What enemy can overcome? What evil can destroy? Nothing, and no one, can ever overcome Him. Take heart, dear one, He has overcome the world. And in Him, so shall you.

Lord Jesus, I ask that You shine the light of Your countenance upon us all. Ravish our hearts by one glance from Your eye. Give us this perspective, that You are absolutely glorious, the fairest among the sons of men. Lift our souls to You, soar us to the heights of Your fierce, yet sweet devotion. And by Your Spirit, let us come to know the fullness of You, to know the wonder of Your love, and the great lengths that God went to show Himself to us, to live in us, to save us, and to be with us.

Dear one, come to Jesus, look into His eyes, and find no condemnation there, only acceptance in the Beloved. 

O, a heart in pieces made whole by a mere glance!

Praise the Lord!

Corporate Prayer for My Pastors

Recently, God gave me the opportunity to pray with, for, and over my pastors and my church. I am not being facetious in saying this was likely the greatest honor of my life. I spent about two weeks preparing for this, in prayer, asking Christ what I should ask for, and how He wanted to bless this church. 

Considering men in ministry who have apostatized or taken their own lives over the past year, I believe it is vitally important to pray for our pastors, elders, and leaders. I approached my own elders with the need to pray for them corporately, with the entire congregation, and praise God, they enthusiastically agreed. I did not expect anything from them, leaving them to figure out how they would bring it to pass. But our lead pastor contacted me and personally asked me to pray for, with, and over them. I was overwhelmed. The Lord Jesus had just given me faithful men and a beautiful church to pray for. 

How could I possibly say no?

I decided if my pastors were going to give me the mic, I was going to make it a good and meaty prayer. I had to read this prayer from paper, because I'm a better writer than a public speaker, but I think, I hope, I pray, it blessed one and all. Many people approached me afterward to tell me they were greatly blessed and wanted copies of it to continue in prayer with me. Therefore, I decided to put it up on my blog to bless the whole world, and if you would like to pray this prayer over your own church, you are more than welcome to pray these words for your leaders as well.

I'm excited to watch how God's going to move at Sonrise Church, and His Church worldwide, through this prayer. Thank You, Lord Jesus, for this blessing and this gift, for trusting me with upholding Your church before You, and for allowing me to love on my pastors, who have so often loved on me.

~*~*~*~

Lord Jesus, we come before You today to lift up our brothers, these precious men whom You have chosen to lead this precious flock, the pastors and shepherds of Sonrise Church. Lord, You have told us that if we love You, we must feed Your sheep. These men feed us day after day with service - and music - and prayer - and sermons. And yet, who feeds them? Today, it is our desire as the congregation of Sonrise to lift them to You and feed them through the love of our prayers.

Song of Solomon 1:6 says, “They made me keeper of the vineyards, but my own vineyard I have not kept!” Never let this be said of these brothers. Our pastors love and care for us. We ask that You love and care for them as well, by helping them to keep their own vineyards. You have given them a Sabbath rest, and that is very good. We thank You for nourishing their souls by resting in You.

Lord, along with much needed rest, we also ask that You give these men wisdom, that they might speak the truth of God by knowing and studying Your doctrine. Grow their love for You, for Your Word, and for Your people, that all might know we are Your disciples when we love one another. We ask for obedience to Your Word and to all that You have commanded, even if it goes against the tide of our culture. In John 14, You have linked obedience to Your commands as true love for God. May our brothers truly love You by obeying all that You have spoken.

We ask that You grow their devotion to You, that their secret prayers be many, not only for this congregation, but also for their families and for themselves. Inspire them to ask You for what they need, whether it be more faith, more passion, more knowledge. Keep their hearts and minds in Christ Jesus through Your peace that surpasses all understanding.

Along with wisdom and devotion, we ask for sharp discernment, that they know how to rightly divide Your Word and spot errors easily and efficiently. Protect this church from false teaching, and make these men the wall against which error is dashed. Do not allow error to take hold here, and may we all edify each other and build one another up.

We ask for boldness and power, that our brothers will never waver, but stand firmly upon Your Rock with the unction and fullness of Your Holy Spirit. Move through these men, Lord, and through this church, as in the first century, and build our pastors into strong and brave men of God, as You did with Your Apostles, Peter, John, and Paul.

Yet we ask You to temper their boldness with humility, that they might always speak the truth in love by getting out of Your way, and making themselves as nothing in order to exalt You, the Lord Jesus Christ, to Your church, for their good, and Your glory.

We ask for holiness, as these men represent not only Sonrise, but You as Your ambassadors. You have told us we must be holy as You are holy. Grow each of these men into role models for this flock and for our community, that each man standing upon this stage can stand upon his own integrity as an example of a godly life.

We ask You for Your favor, that our Father, Almighty God, would approve of their leadership and open doors of opportunity for this church in Hillsboro, the Pacific Northwest, and perhaps even the world. Nothing is impossible for You, Lord Jesus. You have told us to take Your Gospel into all the world. Please help us to that end.

We ask for a deep reverence to settle upon their hearts, that when they speak, they do so with a sense of awe, knowing they have been hand-picked by the Head of the Church to do His work at Sonrise. Lord, eternity is at stake. These men and women of our congregation, our brothers and sisters who gather to hear our pastors every week, are those for whom You died. Let these men never be flippant or apathetic when it comes to the work of God.

And finally, Lord Jesus, we ask You to give our pastors a healthy fear of God, that along with their reverence, they tremble when they stand in Your presence, and never lose sight of just how glorious and magnificent You are. You are the God of Sinai, of Zion, of Calvary. Your history teaches us that You are not merely the God of Americanized Evangelicalism. You are the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the Prince of Peace, and the Lion of Judah. One day, You are coming back in great power and glory, and we must make ourselves ready. We ask as Your church that You make Sonrise ready, by equipping not only her pastors, but her congregation as well, with all wisdom, obedience, devotion, discernment, boldness, power, humility, holiness, favor, reverence, and the fear of God.

Present Sonrise Church to Yourself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish before You.

Thank You for the glory of Your grace, Lord Jesus. This is what we ask the King of Heaven.

In Jesus’ magnificent name,
AMEN

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The Glorious Grace of God

What do you think of when you think on the grace of God? Salvation? Christ? Obviously grace is God's undeserved favor. He gives us His grace when we don't deserve it. He has decided to love us from Heaven and rescue us from the grave, that we might live forever with Him in Glory. The grace of God is surely a wondrous subject to ponder, and His kindness toward us is what compels us to repentance and turn to Him in love (Romans 2:4).

However, there is an aspect of God's grace that not many believers understand or know. Not only does His grace have the power to save, it also has the power to uphold and sustain. We are saved from the penalty of sin, as well as its power. We are now dead to sin and alive to Christ; no longer slaves to sin, rather, we are slaves to righteousness (Romans 6).

The Bible is full of amazing promises that God gives us strength in our weakness and allows us to press on toward the goal. These graces aren't inherent within a believer, these gifts of God are given by the Holy Spirit; they are "every spiritual blessing in heavenly places" spoken of in Ephesians 1:3.

The whole point of regeneration - the Holy Spirit coming to live within the heart of man - is to make him a new creation, the old has gone, behold, the new has come (2 Corinthians 5:17). We are born again the moment we first believe. This is not merely "Christianese", some antiquated Christian vernacular, being "born again" is a spiritual reality. When the Holy Spirit takes residence in the heart of man, he becomes a brand new man, and his heart has changed from a heart of stone to a heart of flesh (Ezekiel 36:26). It is a literal rebirth of one's soul out of the grave and into the family of God (Colossians 1:12-13).

For we have died, and our lives are now hidden with Christ in God (Colossians 3:3). The Holy Spirit indwells us as the earnest of our inheritance (Ephesians 1:14). The Holy Spirit is the one who makes the Christian life possible. No unbeliever can be obedient to Scripture on their own (1 Corinthians 2:14). It is only the one who has God's Spirit living within them (which according to Galatians 2:20, is Christ Himself living within them) who can endure to the end in faith (Matthew 24:13, Mark 13:13).

In light of these realities, we come to realize the grace of God is not just pardon from Hell and death, it is also the power of God to enable His children to live in obedience to Him. This obedience manifests in holiness, godliness, and the fruits of the Spirit in the life of the believer. As the Apostle Paul says, it is God who works in us, both to will and to work for His good pleasure (Philippians 2:13). In Ephesians 2:10, Paul says we've been "created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them." Therefore, not only has God ordained our works, He then created us anew in Christ, and also gives us the grace to will and work for Him. That simply means God's grace not only gives us the work, but the will to do the work.

Let's take a look at something else the Apostle Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 12:7-10. Here, he mentions a thorn in his flesh that he asked God to remove three times. Each time, God told him, "My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness." Paul goes on to declare he would then glory all the more in his weakness, for that's when the power of Christ rests on him.

Since we know God's grace is power to endure and also the will to do the work, then it makes absolute sense that God's grace would be sufficient in Paul's weakness. This is not some flippant reply of God, nor is it merely God's grace in salvation. God is telling Paul that by His grace, His strength is made perfect in his weakness. Why? Because when we, as broken jars of clay, do the magnificent work of Christ, the whole world will know it wasn't on our own strength, but by the power of God (2 Corinthians 4:7). Our Lord has specifically set up His work to be obvious to one and all, and He consistently uses the weak things of this world to confound the wise (1 Corinthians 1:27).

God highly prizes humility. In fact, He opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble (James 4:6). All too often we believers think of God giving us grace as some kind of hand-waving or a smile from Heaven. No. God's grace is literal power from the Throne to live our Christian lives.

I am a believer in the doctrines of grace, those doctrines which conclude that God's grace is irresistible. Here is a link to an article at Ligonier Ministries written by Dr. Steven Lawson that further fleshes out what these doctrines teach us about the grace of God. What does it mean that His grace is irresistible? It means just that - God's grace cannot be resisted or overridden. His will is sovereign to ours, and thus, His will shall come to pass, regardless of what we will. Remember the words of the Apostle John in 1 John 5:14-15 - it is only those who pray according to the will of God who have their prayers answered. Even James, the brother of Christ, told us in James 4:3 that we ask and do not receive because we ask wrongly, to spend it on our passions.

It is God's grace, therefore, that reaches down from Heaven, turns a heart of stone into a heart of flesh, gives the new believer the will and the work, and upholds, sustains, and strengthens him throughout the course of His Christian life. If God upholds the universe by the Word of His power (Hebrews 1:3), how much more His children?

Recently in the news, there have been reports of pastors and worship leaders both apostatizing and committing suicide. I will not link to articles, but suffice it to say we have a problem in Christian circles. First of all, I do not believe those who apostatize (walk away from the faith) were ever true Christians to begin with (Hebrews 6:4-6, 1 John 2:19). According to the doctrine of regeneration (rebirth) as well as the doctrines of grace (irresistible), God cannot, and will not, lose His true sons and daughters. One cannot be reborn, and then NOT reborn. The Holy Spirit does not desert a child of God. Union with Christ is permanent. One cannot be upheld, strengthened, and sustained by the grace of God and be lost. Nothing can snatch you out of God's hands (John 10:28-29), and nothing in all creation can ever separate you from the love of God in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:38-39).

Christ came to give life, and life more abundantly (John 10:10), it is the enemy who comes to kill, steal, and destroy. Christ is the Author and Finisher of our faith (Hebrews 12:2). Christ completes His work in us (Philippians 1:6) - notice it is HIS work in us. Notice we are not to throw away our confidence; we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed (Hebrews 10:35-39). God is faithful to complete our sanctification (1 Thessalonians 5:23-24). This is the grace of God. All of it, from beginning to end. Never once in the Bible are we given credit for our works for God after regeneration - it is all HIS work, HIS grace, for HIS glory.

In short, God's grace never fails. As surely as He upholds His universe, He upholds His children. He gives them pardon from Hell and death, as well as power to abstain from sin. God's grace is sufficient to sustain and strengthen those who are weak, and He will not allow us to fall away or perish in the flesh, even by our own hand, until our work, His work, is done. God's grace is irresistible. God's will is sovereign. Those who shrink back, those who give up, are not living in the power of the Spirit, nor in the will of God. God's grace is a subtle work, but it has great power as it is working. It is not tangible, but rather, like the wind (John 3:8). You might not be able to see where it comes from or where it goes, but you can see it's effects on the Christians, and the world, around you.

God's grace is His power to save, sustain, strengthen, and uphold His children. How many of us have testimonies of our lives before and after Christ? Do you now resemble the person you once were? Of course not, and likely, you wouldn't want to be in the company of your old self. A Christian who walks by the Spirit is walking in the glorious power of God's grace. We cannot forget this, Church. Those who belong to God are upheld by God. They will not, and cannot, fail while God holds them, which is as long as He sits upon His Throne.

Amazing grace indeed.

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Ask, Seek, Knock - A Study on Matthew 7:7-8

Ever since I was a young girl, this passage in Matthew 7:7-8 has fascinated me. These words were spoken by Christ at the Sermon on the Mount, the greatest sermon ever preached. I am convinced a pastor could preach for the rest of his life on the glorious truths our Lord revealed in the Sermon on the Mount. What has always struck me about these specific words of Christ is the absolute "unlimitedness" our Lord promises to those who love Him.

All one must do for this "unlimitedness" is so simple, any child, any elderly, any able-bodied, can ask, seek, and knock. Christ's words are an illustration rather than something we must physically do. These are spoken of spiritual truths, therefore even if one should be blind, bedridden, ill, young, immature, feeble, or frail, they are able, with equal measure, to ask, seek, and knock as fervently as someone in the prime of their lives.

In meditating on this passage, I noticed our Lord repeats the same thing twice. Why? Seems redundant to say the same thing even if worded a little differently. The reason is subtle, but it is genius in its execution. First, Christ makes these things a command. Ask, seek, and knock are all imperative words; they compel you to do these things. Imperative sentences command someone to do something, such as, "Bring me my jacket" or "Clean up your mess". In verse seven, we see Christ is giving imperative commands.

But in verse eight, He switches from commands -- to promises. The promise can be seen in the command, but Jesus restates His message from "shall be" to a more solid "will be" to make His case even stronger. He changes His tactics so as not to be preaching mere proverbs. You could likely imagine opening a fortune cookie and getting a message like in verse seven, "Ask, and it shall be given you." Very philosophical and profound, but any guru can say that. However, in restating the same as promises, He has now bound the Lord God to uphold them. These are not mere platitudes, these are absolute truths. "For everyone who asks receives."

Now let's take a look at this same passage in Luke's Gospel. The entire passage is a lesson that God gives good gifts to His children. Yet the same passage in Luke gives us a deeper understanding of Christ's commands to ask, seek, and knock.

The key verse above is verse 13. This passage is not about some nebulous "good gifts" God bestows but something - Someone - quite specific. The Holy Spirit Himself.

Armed with that knowledge, we can now open the passage and see the spiritual truth Christ is conveying through His commands. Asking, seeking, and knocking, therefore, refers to the Holy Spirit and His work in our lives. Christ does not give us carte blanche in prayer to spend our requests upon our lusts (James 4:3), but He does give us carte blanche with the giving of Himself.

Let's break down the passage so we can see this more clearly.

Ask - Asking of God assumes a certain humility. The child of God comes before Him and asks Him, he does not demand, command, or assume. He asks, like a little child going to his father, which Christ fleshes out with the bread and a fish illustration. The humble child will also be the obedient child. Ask any parent on earth and they are not likely to reward the rebellious child. The same is true for God. There are many other Scriptures that outline answered prayer is directly tied to obedience to the will of God (John 14:23, 1 John 3:22, 1 John 5:14-15). Obedience to Christ's commands is truly loving Him (John 14:15, John 15:10, 1 John 5:3). Therefore, in asking and receiving, we must first seek the Kingdom of God before all these things be added unto us (Matthew 6:33). In asking and receiving, we also see the majesty of God's grace toward sinful men, for unless He binds Himself to this promise, He is under no obligation to keep it for any of us.

Seek - Seeking and asking seem to go hand-in-hand. But seeking goes beyond mere asking. This is a pursuit, not only of Christ, but of knowledge, wisdom, and truth. God has many promises throughout Scripture that those who seek Him shall find Him when they seek Him with all of their hearts. This is not a half-hearted endeavor, this is all-in. This seeking echoes the words of Jacob: "I will not let You go unless You bless me." You might say this seeking is hungering and thirsting for righteousness. This life cannot be all there is. There must be something bigger, something truer, something good, Someone bigger, Someone truer, Someone good, and I will not rest until I find Him. Praise the Lord, to these who truly wish to find, God promises He will be found. Within this promise, God displays His faithfulness to fulfill the promises of His Word.

Knock - Knocking assumes a certain curiosity. Perhaps one has doubts and doesn't presume to barge through the door, but knocks instead. Is this the way? Is this the right door? No one but family or a close friend walks right into one's house. Knocking also assumes a certain humility not to walk right in, lest they be trespassing. What's interesting in this particular illustration is that Christ called Himself "the Door" (John 10:9). To the one who knocks on this Door in humility, and with a hunger to know the truth, the Door shall open.

Returning to what we learned about the Holy Spirit in the Luke passage, let's apply Him to the text now, and see what it reveals.

Whatever we ask of God with regards to the Holy Spirit, He will give us. What does that mean? What is God's will for your Christian life? To know more? To love more? To serve more? To seek more? To be more wise? To be strong in faith? To be led to sound doctrine? To know our Bibles? To study our Bibles? To pray more? To shine Christ all around us? YES TO ALL. These are the carte blanche prayers. More of God, more of Christ, more of the Spirit. Yes, ask, and ye shall receive.

Consider this: those who are seeking... are being led. They are actively being drawn to the Father by the Spirit of God. It is Christ who seeks and saves the lost. The seeking child is being drawn by irresistible grace. If the Spirit leads one to seek, they shall find, for He who began a good work in you shall be faithful to complete it.

With regards to knocking and the Holy Spirit, one truth shines in this passage that not many have seen. When I saw it, I sat back in awe. "Knock, and it shall be opened." It shall be opened. What does the Holy Spirit open, beloved? Take a minute to think on that question. What does He open?

Our minds to the Scriptures (Psalm 119:18, Luke 24:45). YES! He opens our minds, He opens His Book, and we are able to see wondrous things from His Law. God's Word is "locked" until it is opened by the Holy Spirit. Anyone can read the words, but the wisdom of God and knowledge of His doctrine comes by spiritual discernment (1 Corinthians 2:14).

Can you see the beauty and the majesty of what Christ is teaching in this passage? Ask of Me, and I will give you Myself in My unlimitedness. You will find Me when you seek Me, and I will open My secrets to you.

Now that we know the full weight of these words, let's consider another passage in John's Gospel. Ask, seek, and knock was given on the Sermon on the Mount to the throng who had gathered to hear Him. But these words were spoken intimately to those whom He loved, His disciples in the Upper Room.

Since we've fleshed out this passage, I want you to see Matthew 7:7-8 in these words in the book of John. Keep ask, seek, knock in your back pocket as you read these familiar words:

"He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me." - ASK - Receive

"And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father," - SEEK - Find

"And I will love him and manifest Myself to him." - KNOCK - Open

John 14:21 is Christ's own exposition to Matthew 7:7-8 and Luke 11:9-13. The obedient child is the one whose prayers are answered. The one who loves Christ is loved by the Father, and will find Him. Christ opens His mysteries by His Spirit, manifesting Himself, to those who love Him.

What glory! What majesty! What magnificent truth! He gives us freely of Himself in His "unlimitedness" if we but ask Him. He promises to be found and He will open His mysteries to all those who love Him!

Ask what you will, seek where you will, knock as you will and He will provide every spiritual blessing in heavenly places. They are ours already, we have but to ask, seek, and knock! (Ephesians 1:3) Seek Christ for more of Christ through the power of His Holy Spirit, and you shall have carte blanche to possess all the riches of Almighty God Himself.

PRAISE THE LORD!!


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