Category: Christian living

Psalm 139:14 I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made, Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well. 

Psalm 139:14 says it so well, I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Each person has value because they are made into the image of God, by God. With that in mind, I am thankful that my baby girl is turning 1 year old today. She has brought me such joy, and I couldn’t image life without her.  The first time I saw her she stole my heart, and it has been amazing seeing her grow this past year. I love her smile, her laugh, and her personality, and day by day my love for her grows. Yet as she turns 1 today I cannot help but miss her twin sister Hannah Joy. 

Often in life Joy meets sorrow. This doesn’t mean that I don’t love Isabella, but I often mourn the what ifs in life. The biggest what if in my life in Hannah Joy. Hannah was the one I never got to see smile, laugh, and see her personality, yet as each day goes by my love for her grows. I often think about it like this, when I hold my sweet girl Isabella  my heavenly father is holding Hannah. See life is full of many emotions, and today I am overwhelmed by joy, and still sorrowful that my baby Hannah is not here with me. 

I named her Hannah for a few reasons. Hannah was the mother of Samuel, and she did not have children, and yet that did not keep her from praying to God that she would have a child one day. By the grace of God he gave her a child. Look at these powerful words found in scripture, “She was deeply distressed and prayed to the Lord and wept bitterly. 11 And she vowed a vow and said, “O Lord of hosts, if you will indeed look on the affliction of your servant and remember me and not forget your servant, but will give to your servant a son, then I will give him to the Lord all the days of his life, and no razor shall touch his head.” 

12 As she continued praying before the Lord, Eli observed her mouth. 13 Hannah was speaking in her heart; only her lips moved, and her voice was not heard. Therefore Eli took her to be a drunken woman. 14 And Eli said to her, “How long will you go on being drunk? Put your wine away from you.” 15 But Hannah answered, “No, my lord, I am a woman troubled in spirit. I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink, but I have been pouring out my soul before the Lord. 16 Do not regard your servant as a worthless woman, for all along I have been speaking out of my great anxiety and vexation.” 17 Then Eli answered, “Go in peace, and the God of Israel grant your petition that you have made to him.” 18 And she said, “Let your servant find favor in your eyes.” Then the woman went her way and ate, and her face was no longer sad. 

19 They rose early in the morning and worshiped before the Lord; then they went back to their house at Ramah. And Elkanah knew Hannah his wife, and the Lord remembered her. 20 And in due time Hannah conceived and bore a son, and she called his name Samuel, for she said, “I have asked for him from the Lord.” 1 Samuel 1:10-20 

The same words that Hannah echoed were ones that my wife and I echoed when we were praying for a child, and while it took longer than we wanted the Lord gave us a child. Not only did he give us a child, but he gave us two. We found out we were having twins because of a scare one night that led us to go to the hospital.  During our time there they did an ultrasound, and found two healthy heartbeats. We were surprised, but overjoyed of the thought of having twins. But a little over a month later my wife had an ultrasound, and Hannah joy was gone. She not only didn’t have a heartbeat any longer, she was not even  seen on the ultrasound. One of the children we had been praying for went home to be with the Lord. A loss of a child is a pain you will never forget. 

I quickly remembered in Scripture the story where David losses a child himself and was quickly reminded of theses words, “I shall go to him, but he will not return to me.” 2 Samuel 12:23b While I will not see Hannah on this earth, I will see her in heaven one day. Not only will I see her in heaven one day I get to be her dad and I get to be the dad to my Isabella Hope on this earth. See Often in life Joy meets sorrow, but when you are in Christ Joy overshadows the darkness of days. 

See I didn’t say how that Joy reigned in my life during those dark times, and those moments of darkness. It is because Christ is the source of my joy. John 15:11 says, These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.” John Piper says it like this, “ Fullness of joy in the age to come means so much joy that all competing, contrary emotions will be gone.” While this is hard to grasp when I put my joy in Christ the overwhelming sorrow, and hurt seems small in comparison. The beauty of Christian joy is that is doesn’t depend on circumstances. This is why when tragedy strikes you can set your eyes upon Jesus, and everything else seems so small. While days like today are hard, they are full of so much joy, because of Christ, and what he has done for me on the cross. I am thankful for the words that follow in John 16:20-33 that say, “A little while, and you will see me no longer; and again a little while, and you will see me.” 17 So some of his disciples said to one another, “What is this that he says to us, ‘A little while, and you will not see me, and again a little while, and you will see me’; and, ‘because I am going to the Father’?” 18 So they were saying, “What does he mean by ‘a little while’? We do not know what he is talking about.” 19 Jesus knew that they wanted to ask him, so he said to them, “Is this what you are asking yourselves, what I meant by saying, ‘A little while and you will not see me, and again a little while and you will see me’? 20 Truly, truly, I say to you, you will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice. You will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will turn into joy. 21 When a woman is giving birth, she has sorrow because her hour has come, but when she has delivered the baby, she no longer remembers the anguish, for joy that a human being has been born into the world. 22 So also you have sorrow now, but I will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy from you. 23 In that day you will ask nothing of me. Truly, truly, I say to you, whatever you ask of the Father in my name, he will give it to you. 24 Until now you have asked nothing in my name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full. 25 “I have said these things to you in figures of speech. The hour is coming when I will no longer speak to you in figures of speech but will tell you plainly about the Father. 26 In that day you will ask in my name, and I do not say to you that I will ask the Father on your behalf; 27 for the Father himself loves you, because you have loved me and have believed that I came from God.1 28 I came from the Father and have come into the world, and now I am leaving the world and going to the Father.” 29 His disciples said, “Ah, now you are speaking plainly and not using figurative speech! 30 Now we know that you know all things and do not need anyone to question you; this is why we believe that you came from God.” 31 Jesus answered them, “Do you now believe? 32 Behold, the hour is coming, indeed it has come, when you will be scattered, each to his own home, and will leave me alone. Yet I am not alone, for the Father is with me. 33 I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. iIn the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” 

Often in life Joy meets sorrow but Christians should take note that Jesus has overcome the world! That means your joy can be full. 

• I love the quote by Kevin DeYoung it says, “The will of God for your life is pretty straightforward: Be holy like Jesus, by the power of the Spirit, for the glory of God.” While the quote is powerful it doesn’t get to the heart of how sanctification works. Recently, I have been thinking more and more about sanctification. Often we hear a lot of things about justification or glorification, but not a lot on sanctification. I began reading a book by David Powlison called, How Does Sanctification Work? In the book, He gives five simple truths of how sanctification works. In this short article, I want to explain how I believe these truths can help you become more like Christ.
• The first truth is God, himself, changes you. This is what I believe to be the most important aspect about sanctification. As Christians we are to depend on God to change us. As believers we have the Holy Spirit in us that helps us conform to the image of Christ. Philippians 2:13 says, “For it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.” I love what one commentator said about this verse, he says, “by his indwelling presence in you, in individual believers and in the community as a whole, God directs, strengthens, and sustains eventhe will-to-work.” The indwelling of the Spirit of God causes a radical shift from our formal selves. Giving us the ability to now with his strength, become more like Christ.
• The second truth is the Word of truth changes you. Two passages come to mind, when thinking about this truth. The first is John 17:17 “Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth.” The word sanctify means to be set apart. The word of God sets us apart from the world. It teaches us everything we need to know about life and Godliness. Without the word of God, we can never truly understand what sanctification actually looks like. Another passage that comes tomind is 2 Timothy 3:16-17 it says, “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.” As fallen individuals we need to be taught the word of God. This verse gives us an outline of how this takes place. God teaches us through his word how to be like him. He shows us our errors, and where we may need correction. Thus it results is Godliness. In the sanctification process, Christians need the full council of God.
• The third truth is wise people change you. Proverbs 19:20 says, “Listen to advice and accept instruction, that you may gain wisdom in the future.” Christians today have a wide varietyof access to good biblical teaching. However, I believe this must start in your own local church. Ibelieve God puts faithful elders and teachers in your own local context to teach you about himself. These wise individuals not only teach you, about God but model what it looks like to be a faithful follower of Christ. In addition to your own local church, seek out other Godly men and women who can help you become more like Christ. I have been blessed with the opportunity to go to seminary and learn from great men of God, while this is not in everyone’s plans there are great teachers of the word of God that can help you grow in your faith. You can do this by finding time to read a book or check out the many other resources that are available to us.
• The fourth truth is suffering, struggle and troubles change you. Contrary to popular beliefthe Christian life is not without suffering, struggling, and troubles. Currently in the life of my church we have experienced as a various trials. However, I have seen God work in all of those ways to glorify himself. Romans 8:28 is a verse that always comes to mind it says, “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.” I love what Douglas Moo says about this verse he says, “Essentially, it promises that nothing will touch our lives that is not under the control and direction of our loving heavenly Father. Everything we do and say, everything people do to us or say about us, every experience we will ever have—all are sovereignly used by God for our good. We will not always understand how the things we experience work to good, and we certainly will not always enjoy them. But we do know that nothing comes into our lives that God does not allow and use for his own beneficent purposes. Paul’s overarching purpose in Romans 5–8 is to give us assurance for the life to come. But verses like 8:28 show that he also wants to give us assurance for the present life as well. God has ordained not only the ends but the means.” Whatever we may be going through in our lives, God will use it for a purpose. As we walk through life trials will come our way. We must trust that God will use those events to grow us into his likeness.
• The fifth truth is you will be changed. I believe each and every one of these truths teach us how sanctification works. Sanctification starts with God. We cannot live the Christian life without his Spirit in us. Without that relationship true sanctification will never happen. You must be rooted in the word of God.
• I challenge you to ask yourself these few questions. Do you have a relationship with God? Are you consistently in the word of God? Are you surrounding yourself with wise council? Are you connected to the local church? Do you have accountability with other believers? Are you benefiting from the great teachings we have access to? Do you see life’s biggest struggles as opportunity to grow closer to the lord? Do you have change in your life? If not, I challenge you, to see what you may be missing