by Pastor James Lee

People in every generation have faced varying degrees of temptations towards anxiety about the uncertainties of their life circumstances. Read the history books, interact with old journal entries, and listen to the songs of every man, woman, and child that ever lived – and we are not alone in the painful daggers and persistent drownings of life that we feel. We are neither removed from the seeming uncertainties of living in a fallen world, nor are we insured from any pending hardship down the road. It is assigned to the godly. In any and every generation of true believers, we will regularly need to be thrust back to the blissful forefront of hope in the ultimate realities of God’s goodness and His glorious gospel.

For the uneasiness of what we see around us can often overshadow the greater eternal realities we should appropriate when we are walking by faith, not by sight. But, we know weakness. But, we know heartache. But we can feel like despairing. There is not a single day where there isn’t a natural disaster or loss of a loved one or marital discontentment or church conflict or cancer being faced or hurtful lie being uncovered. And don’t get me wrong, there is not all and always bad news – we shouldn’t be half-glass empty pessimists who dismiss the powerful work of God in our lives and those around us! This is in spite of the spiritual war tempting us to not believe the gospel’s transforming power. There are abundant reasons to rejoice, if we would choose to see them! God is doing some amazing and humbling things in our individual lives, in our churches, and in our world to encourage us profoundly… even when we fail to fully see what He is accomplishing on behalf of His people and for His glory. This is not to minimize the real hurt, suffering, and depression we face, let alone privilege to patiently come alongside those in the midst of such sorrows.

But when our perspective narrows like a zoom lens only on the difficulties, depravity, and decline we continually witness around us, we can very easily get discouraged by what we only see or experience – and we lose sight of the great and guaranteed certainties promised, preserved, and proven for His own children. Romans 8:28 is no cliché, but independently and actively true, as surely indeed, “God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.”

So instead of listening to ourselves, we need to preach the truths of God’s Word to our own hearts. We have to run to His Word, despite how we might feel at any given moment. We have to trust God, even if it’s just one step forward at a time. As D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones exhorted, “Have you realized that most of your unhappiness in life is due to the fact that you are listening to yourself instead of talking to yourself?” Or as the psalmist reflected and instructed in Psalm 42:5, “Why are you in despair, O my soul? And why have you become disturbed within me? Hope in God, for I shall again praise Him for the help of His presence.”

I want to remind myself and all of us of His great, wonderful, merciful, true, and “gonna happen no matter what” certainties that God has promised and will sovereignly bring to pass. We can bank our lives on these truths. Consider today just a tiny sample list directly from God’s Word, so our dear Holy Spirit will shepherd us. Engrave them on your hearts, tattoo them on the insides of your eyes, drink and breathe them deeply as undeniable, unimpeachable, life-transforming doctrines that give us the perspective we need right now – not merely to humanistically “cope” with some difficult circumstances and challenges, but because they are free gifts of His grace to live a God-honoring, Christ-centered, Spirit-filled, Gospel-saturated, Joyous life.

Let us keep urging one another to live each moment in the hope-giving, manifold certainties of His Word:

1. The Certainty of Jesus’ Past Resurrection Demonstrates the Future Certainty of Our Own

“For if we have become united with Him in the likeness of His death, certainly we shall be also in the likeness of His resurrection.” (Romans 6:5)

2. The Certainty of Our Promised Glorification

“And whom He predestined, these He also called; and whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified” (Romans 8:30)

3. The Certainty of God’s Sovereign Control

“Who is there who speaks and it comes to pass, Unless the Lord has commanded it?” Lamentations 3:37

4. The Certainty of God’s Faithful Character

“No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, that you may be able to endure it.” (1 Corinthians 10:13)

5. The Certainty of God’s Powerful Word

“So shall My Word be which goes forth from My mouth; It shall not return to Me empty, Without accomplishing what I desire, And without succeeding in the matter for which I sent it.” (Isaiah 55:11)

6. The Certainty of the Eventual End of a Believer’s Pain

“And He shall wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there shall no longer be any death; there shall no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away.” (Revelation 21:4)

7. The Certainty of God’s Merciful Reward

“For he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him” (Hebrews 11:6b)

8. The Certainty of Materialism’s Emptiness and Heaven’s Joys

“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal.” (Matthew 6:19-20)

9. The Certainty of God’s Care and Provision

“Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time, casting all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you.” (1 Peter 5:6-7)

10. The Certainty of God’s Goodness in His Demands

“Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and YOU WILL FIND REST FOR YOUR SOULS. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30)

11. The Certainty of the Enduring Profit of Godliness

“Discipline yourself for the purpose of godliness; for bodily discipline is only of little profit, but godliness is profitable for all things, since it holds promise for the present life & also for the life to come.” (1 Timothy 4:7-8)

12. The Certainty of God’s Unending Affection for Us

“Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” (Romans 8:1)

13. The Certainty of the Church’s Unchanging Mission and His Presence

“And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:18-20)

14. The Certainty of Christ’s Return

“For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first.” (1 Thessalonians 4:16)

It is when we return to God’s Word, and begin to preach His truth to our hearts, rather than listening to ourselves and the lies of the world and the wicked one, that our living hope again becomes the accurate lens for which we see all things. The Word sanctifies us. Perception becomes reality. We are not to be deceived by the falsehoods of positive thinking, but anchor ourselves in who Christ is. Our hearts need to be shepherded by His Word, and we will need to shepherd one another with His Word. As we believe the sufficiency of His Word, that biblical counsel will change us. As Eric Davis recently exhorted, “As a Christian, there are always reasons to rejoice. Always. The God of the Bible reigns. Christ has propitiated the Father’s wrath. He has risen. We are in him. He is working all things for good. Despite our felt decline at times, the Holy Spirit moves us forward. Christ will return and we with him, shining forth as the sun in the kingdom of our Father. In that day, sorrow will be laid to rest. Until then, though sorrowful, we are always rejoicing.”

Remember our brother Apostle Paul in the midst of his imprisonment and his testing, who rejoiced in being enabled to say out of a heart of worship in Philippians 4:8-9, “Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things. The things you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.”

by Pastor John Kim

The hymn, “I Love Thy Kingdom Lord” by Timothy Dwight is one that I recall singing often when I attended Grace Community Church in my youth. I really loved going to church on Sundays. It was pretty much an all day affair – it really was the Lord’s Day, not the Lord’s hour and a half. I started attending in the summer before 9th grade and would go the main service, then the Sunday school service, then spend the afternoon with my small group, and then return to church for the evening service. I spent most of my high school years doing the same and then joined the junior high staff my first couple of years in college. So every Sunday was pretty full and I loved it. Sure, there were times when I was tired and sometimes there was some drama and challenges and even conflicts but it never crossed my mind to minimize being at church on Sundays.

Then I became a pastor. I quickly found out that many people didn’t share my enthusiasm to be at church. In fact, attending even just one service was enough for most people and if the sermon was too long or if the song selection was boring or if the snacks were stale, there was always a reason to complain or be critical and people would drop off in their attendance or just disappear.

I understand that many people have had disappointing and difficult church experiences. Believe me, I have had my share and I completely understand why some people would rather have nothing to do with the hypocrites, the legalistic Pharisees, the scammers, the creepers, and the host of other problematic people that make church not too attractive. Sadly, there are some churches that are devoid of the presence of God and that is the reason why it is not a good place to be.

But even in the best of churches where there is a commitment to worship God, a high view of Scripture, a mission to make disciples, a vision to plant churches, and a conviction to love God and people, why is it that there are still many who struggle in even regularly attending church and getting involved in the lives of the members?

Could it be that there is a simple and fundamental lack of love for the church? I think we all understand that there is no perfect church, that we are all sinners, and that we will have to face the reality of all the weaknesses and shortcomings and failures that any church would share. It is often surprising and even shocking at how indifferent and apathetic many professing Christians are toward the church. The mean-spirited and the hard-hearted emerge to crush and destroy people, all in the name of Christ. The refusal to forgive and reconcile, while dividing and fracturing the fellowship of believers instead, reaches epidemic levels at many churches; it is no surprise we see the departures of many not only from the church but even some from the faith.
I would like to encourage those who might be quick to point the finger at others and take a long hard look in the mirror and answer a few questions:

1. Are you loving God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength (Matthew 22:37-40)?
2. Does the love of Christ control you (2 Corinthians 5:14-15)?
3. Are you kind, tender-hearted, and forgiving in the way Christ has forgiven you (Ephesians 4:31)?
4. Are you patient and kind in a way that bears all things, hopes all things, believes all things, and endures all things (1 Corinthian 13:4-7)?
5. Do you go to church with the deliberate and purposeful intention of stimulating others to love and good deeds and to encourage (Hebrews 10:24-25)?
6. Do you remember that Christ is the ultimate head of the church and that your heart attitude and conduct must first and foremost consider His glory?

Everyone will have reasons to find it difficult to love your church and yet we must consider how much we are either contributing to the difficulty or seeking to address the lack of love by choosing to love first before waiting to be loved by others. We are already loved (1 John 4:19) and so we are able to love. The stakes are high – we cannot say that we love God and hate our brother (1 John 4) and so we must all consider the accountability we have before God and His Word to carry out what is most basic and foundational to the Christian life. It also affects our testimony to the world as loving one another shows that we belong to Christ (John 13:34-35).

Do you love your church? I pray that you would indeed love your church with the love of Christ to His glory.