May 2006 Posts

Service Time Change

Starting this Sunday, June 4th CLF's morning worship will begin at 11:30 a.m. Sunday School for children and adults will start at 10:00 a.m.

The Blood of Abel. Genesis 4:1-7.

May 28th, 2006. The Blood of Abel. Genesis 4:1-7.

Do you believe in Jesus Christ? I’m sure many people you and I know would answer yes to that question. Even famous celebrities like Bernie Mac, Oprah Winfrey and others would probably say they believed in Christ.
Many can believe in Christ in much the same way that many acknowledge that George Bush is the president of the U.S. or Ed Rendell the governor of PA. You don’t have to follow all of the policies and programs of these two men to acknowledge their positions of leadership.
Perhaps a better question is ‘do you have a worshiping relationship with Jesus Christ?’

Cain also believed in God. If you had asked Cain if he believed in God he would have surely said yes. If you asked him if he had a personal relationship with this God he again would have said yes. However, if you asked Cain if he enjoyed a worshiping relationship with this God he probably would have said no, not if I have anything to say about it.
Many are like that today in that they acknowledge God’s existence. Many claim to believe in God through Jesus Christ and still others would claim to have some kind of personal relationship with God. Yet if asked if they had a worshiping relationship with Jesus Christ if honest they would have to say no.

Genesis 4 is the first full chapter of the bible that deals with one of Scriptures most important and main themes which is redemption. The basic definition of redemption in the biblical sense is to secure something or someone by paying the price. In a sense the entire Scripture from this point forward will speak in one way or another of how God secures a people for Himself through Jesus Christ by paying a price. God’s purpose for securing this people is so that He might establish a worshiping relationship with them. The culmination of this relationship is seen in Rev. 5:9-14 And they sang a new song: "You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, because you were slain, and with your blood you purchased men for God from every tribe and language and people and nation. You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God, and they will reign on the earth." Then I looked and heard the voice of many angels, numbering thousands upon thousands, and ten thousand times ten thousand. They encircled the throne and the living creatures and the elders. In a loud voice they sang: "Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise!" Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all that is in them, singing: "To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be praise and honor and glory and power, for ever and ever!" The four living creatures said, "Amen," and the elders fell down and worshiped.

The subject of Gen. 4:1-7 as well as much of the rest of Scripture is how God accomplishes this redemption and what it means for you.

Why do we need redemption.

Cain and Abel were both sinners in God’s sight. Both were aware of their sin and knew what was required to deal with sin. This may seem petty but it is in fact a staggering truth. This simple but weighty reality is that humans have no right to exist on God’s earth. God is under no obligation to care for, provide for and sustain those who’ve sinned against him by disregarding His person, disobeying His word, ignoring his will and dismissing His worship. Both Cain and Abel went about their daily business and activities under the common grace of God who allowed them to have a measure of life.

Cain and Abel were both sinners because their father Adam represented them when he sinned in the garden of Eden. Adam’s sin not only affected him but all he stood for that is the entire human race.
Cain and Abel were sinners in that during their life they had committed acts of rebellion against God in one form or another.
It may be easy to think of Abel as the upstanding, goodie two shoes brother and Cain as the bad boy outcast. Yet bother were sinners who needed to bring an offering for their sin.
At this point the only difference between Cain and Abel was their reaction to their sin. Both recognize that an offering must be brought so that they could remain in the presence of God on His world.

For us redemption begins by accepting the reality that we are sinners in the sight of a holy God and exist only at His good pleasure.

How does God secure redemption?

What was a sacrifice? It was something of great value brought to the Lord as an act of worship and offering. The most basic offering in Scripture was the sin offering. This offering was an animal without any physical defect. This animal usually a lamb was slaughtered and blood poured out on an altar to symbolize that the price for sin was death. Yet instead of the worshiper dying for his own sin, the punishment was transferred to the sacrifice. There are few things worth noting about sacrifices.

1. They were absolutely necessary to enjoy any kind of fellowship with God. The sacrifice was a constant reminder of God’s utter holiness and our utter sinfulness.
This is why worship is from one point of view a humbling experience. This is so because in worship the focus is not on us but the Lord.
Also worship reminds us that we are creatures who owe our entire existence to our Creator.

2. They had to be brought according to the exact way prescribed by God. God had no doubt communicated to Adam and Eve how to bring the correct sacrifices to Him.

3. The sacrifice had to be the very best the worshiper had. It was a full grown animal without any physical defect. Ordinarily such an animal could have brought a good price had it been sold on the open market.

4. The sacrifice had to be with a willing heart. The worshiper had to acknowledge their need for the sacrifice, and their desire to enjoy God’s favor and presence.

5. The worshiper had to believe that God would accept the right sacrifice brought the right way.

The sacrifice is a constant, visible reminder that God, not humanity determines how He is approached, related to and worshiped. It is the height of prideful arrogance for mere humans to simply decide how they are going to relate to God based on what they think or feel.
In one way it’s like being in deep debt to someone or some company and walking boldly up to them to tell them how you intend to pay off your debt whether they like it or not.

This brings us to Cain’s sacrifice. The passage clearly states that God did not regard Cain’s offering. Cain’s reaction to God’s view of his offering opens a window into his soul that let’s us see why his offering wasn’t accepted.

Cain was resentful that he had to bring an offering in the first place. Cain probably did not bring the very best he had. The language of the passage points out that Abel brought the firstborn of his flock as well as the best portions of that animal while it only says that Cain brought some of his fruit. It could have been that Cain had gotten a very good harvest and decided to keep the best for himself and offer the rest to the Lord.
The real issue however was that Cain’s heart wasn’t in it. We know this from his reaction when God confronts him about his offering. It seems that what Cain really wanted was the opportunity to enjoy God’s blessing and provision apart from God Himself.

Cain’s basic problem and sin was that in his view God simply didn’t matter much. Enjoying a vibrant, obedient, worshiping relationship with God through the means that the Lord Himself provided wasn’t his motivation to exist.

Cain was like those whom our Lord spoke of in the story of the soil found in Matt. 13. Matthew 13:22 As for what was sown among thorns, this is the one who hears the word, but the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and it proves unfruitful.

Many of us are like Cain today. We’ve heard about enjoying a worshiping relationship with God. We’ve seen others like Cain saw Abel enjoying this relationship. Try as we might we can’t get away from God, but for some reason we are unwilling to come to Him.
For many the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of the material lifestyle weighs more on our minds and hearts than pouring out our souls to the living God.


It’s here that the story takes a surprising and gracious twist.
God confronts but does not condemn Cain. And there is no reason for God not to condemn him except for grace. God would have been perfectly within His rights as God, Lord, King and Creator of the universe to judge, condemn and punish Cain on the spot. The question for us is: why does God want to relate to Cain or any of us at all? I mean what does He get out of it? Why is God humiliating Himself to plead with a mere mortal regarding worship? It’s not as though God lacked beings to worship Him.
God doesn’t plead with Cain to offer right worship because God needs it, but because Cain does. Cain is not complete unless He’s in a worshiping relationship with His creator. This is true because Cain like all the rest of creation exist by God’s will and for His glory.

God confronts Cain concerning worship because it is only within a worshiping relationship with God that Cain will ever find true and lasting contentment, fulfillment, meaning, dignity, forgiveness, wholeness and experience and enjoy the depths of infinite, divine lovingkindness.

God reaches out to Cain because He knows that if Cain continues down a path of ignoring and disregarding that Him God Himself will eventually have to judge Cain and his sin. For Cain and all those like him this judgment will be final, catastrophic and permanent.

If you’ve thought and lived like Cain today is the day to stop. Don’t fool yourself by thinking ‘yeah, I believe in Jesus Christ’ when you really haven’t set your mind and heart to worshiping Him.

What is the blessing of redemption?

God is so zealous to redeem a people for Himself that He sent His own Son Jesus Christ whose sacrifice speaks a better message than even Abel’s did. Hebrews 12:22-24 (NIV)
But you have come to Mount Zion, to the heavenly Jerusalem, the city of the living God. You have come to thousands upon thousands of angels in joyful assembly, [23] to the church of the firstborn, whose names are written in heaven. You have come to God, the judge of all men, to the spirits of righteous men made perfect, [24] to Jesus the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel.

Why does the blood of Christ speak a better message than the blood of Abel’s right sacrifice?
It is a better sacrifice because it is offered by the holy one who in fact became a creature though not tinged with sin. It is a better sacrifice in that it was the one real and final sacrifice the Lord God required. Psalm 40:6-8 (NIV)
Sacrifice and offering you did not desire, but my ears you have pierced; burnt offerings and sin offerings you did not require. Then I said, "Here I am, I have come--it is written about me in the scroll. I desire to do your will, O my God; your law is within my heart."
It was a better sacrifice in that Christ lived the perfect, sinless life according to God’s law and was pleasing to God before and during His earthly ministry. His perfection had thus earned a place in God’s favor forever. However, rather than taking his own fairly earned place at the Father’s side Christ walked into trouble, suffering, death and God’s wrath for us.
It was a better sacrifice in that Christ faced God’s anger willingly for sin He did not commit. Moreover, Christ didn’t consider His complete and total humiliation something to be done unwillingly. He didn’t leave His place at the Father’s side reluctantly but willingly for us.
It was a better sacrifice because it only had to be done once for all time and for all those whom God had chosen.
Finally it is a better sacrifice in that it was effective not just for Abel but for any and everyone who truly believes that through Christ and Christ alone we can enjoy a worshiping relationship with God.

The final blessedness of redemption is that it speaks of God’s delight in us. God delights in having a people for Himself. A people He can pour His infinite goodness, kindness, love and grace onto for all eternity. In response we the redeemed saints of the Lamb gladly exult in a worshiping relationship with our Lord whose blood speaks a better word than the blood of Abel.

To Him Who Loves Us…
Pastor Lance

Parable of the Wedding Feast. Mt. 22:1-14.

Are you going?
Of course I’m going! This is a once in a lifetime event. Folks will be telling their great-great grandchildren about the time they literally had a meal fit for a king.
What about you?
I’m undecided, I mean this is the king’s banquet.
So. You’ve heard his servants shouting an invitation for all who wanted to attend.

Yeah I did and that’s what’s bugging me. Think about it, why would the great king want to have just anybody rolling up to his house for a banquet. And not just any banquet this is the special wedding feast he’s been preparing for his one and only son. This feast has been in the king’s mind from the day his son was born. It will happen once and once only. It is the meal of meals and wedding of weddings. Doesn’t it seem just a tiny bit strange that the king’s men would have to beg people to attend. Something’s not right, it just doesn’t seem real.

Well I don’t know about all that, but I do know that the food is going to be… what do the young folks say these days, ‘off the hook’. And besides all the guests get to greet the king and his son personally. Everyone is provided with a ride to the feast, a place to stay for the festivities (you know it’s going to be at least a week and probably more) paid vacation leave to attend and the king himself will provide wedding clothes for all the guests. So let’s see. You get a fully paid vacation to attend the wedding of a lifetime at the request of the king who is so eager to have you in the house that he’s gone to the trouble of even providing your wedding clothes. Sounds like a win win situation to me.

And you don’t think something’s wrong with that? Didn’t you hear that none of the people the king first invited are going? Didn’t you hear that they made up some lame excuses not to go? Did you forget that some of his servants got killed when they offered these cats the invitation? Something smells to the high heaven here. Look, I know you’re naïve and really want to believe that you’ll get something for nothing. But nothing’s free in this world. Pretty soon they’ll even figure out a way to charge us for the air we breathe. Do you really believe the king is going to go through all this trouble and pay all of his money just to have a bunch of no-names, misfits, outcasts and rejects at his son’s one and only wedding banquet? Get real! Don’t show up and embarrass yourself.

One wonders is it better to be naïve or cynical? Could you imagine a world where it just might be possible that the king loves his son so much that he wants his wedding banquet to be filled with guests? Is the king’s generosity so completely beyond belief? I don’t care why any of the first guests didn’t want to go, it’s their loss and our gain. Come on, let’s go. You know this is going to be the bomb. You’ll get to meet the king, his son, eat fabulous food for days and keep the wedding clothes he gives you.

You see that’s another thing I’m not feeling. Why do we have to wear the king’s wedding clothes? Why can’t we show up with what we have? My clothes are just as good as anything he could provide.

Uh.. I’ve seen your stuff and well to be straight… it’s raggedy. Besides you know the kings edict. Anyone appearing in the king’s presence on an occasion like this must wear the clothes he provides. You don’t want to think about what will happen if you show up in your own worn out, dirty clothes.

THAT’S IT! That’s exactly the problem. The reason why none of his first guests want to go is that they know the king think’s he’s better than them. Do you think their own clothes are worn out dirty rags? They probably wanted to show off their own clothes. But what does the king insist? That they wear what he’s provided just to be in his presence. You know I think I will go. But I’m not wearing the clothes the king provides. I’m going to march right up in his house, eat his food and show off my stuff!

PLEASE , PLEASE DON’T GO THERE! All you have to do is ask and one of the king’s servants will gladly give you the proper wedding clothes. You can’t go into the king’s palace and enjoy his food on your terms. If he commands that you appear in his presence in the garment he’s provided then you need to wear that garment. Your clothes won’t cut it. You’ll be found out, called out and then thrown out.

Oh really? I thought the ‘great king’ really wanted me to be there? I thought he was so concerned with having a bunch of chumps at his son’s wedding feast? You go on ahead. Follow the rest of the sheep and humiliate yourself by taking what the king provides. I’ll show up when I’m good and ready and wearing my own clothes thank you very much.

The king does want you there. And he wants his banquet house filled with guests to share in the joy of his son. But above all the king will to preserve his honor. No one appears before the king at his banquet in their own clothes. NO ONE but a fool dares to even imply that he is on the same level as the king. You know what they say ‘better to enjoy the king’s favor in humility than to face his displeasure in pride.’ Do what you want to do but know this, you’ve been warned. The king will not deal lightly with those who refuse his provision no matter what their excuse.

Yeah… we’ll see.

To His Who Loves Us…
Pastor Lance

How Was Church...

So how was church yesterday? Rev. Jim Angher preached a powerful message at CLF on coming from church with a vision, cleansing and sending from Isaiah 6. Download the message here or drop us an email for a free CD copy.

The Joy of Physical Intimacy Pt. 2

May 14, 2006. Joyful Intimacy Pt. 2. Genesis 4:1.
Last week we began the first half of this message on how the people of God can experience joyful intimacy. From the Scriptures we learned that God’s people can experience the joy of intimacy by embracing, believing and pursuing the reality that God created our souls, minds and bodies for His glory.
We also learned that we can experience joyful intimacy by practicing the biblical principles of a growing, godly marriage. It is within the safe confines of such a marriage that we‘re free to begin knowing one another. We ended last week’s message by referring to Hosea 3 a touching account of how the prophet had to actually buy back his adulterous wife who was about to be sold into slavery. That story ultimately highlights how our Lord Jesus paid for our sins, releasing us from the penalty of sin and taking us to Himself. It also reminded us that no marriage no matter how bad off is beyond God’s gracious power.

There are three more reasons concerning how God’s people can experience the joy of physical intimacy within marriage.

God’s people can experience the joy of intimacy by delighting in the process of sacred romance that leads to beautiful expressions of intimacy.

The Song of Solomon is a whole book dedicated to romantic love. It’s a book that speaks of the real love Solomon had for his wife, but also speaks of the love Christ has for His bride the church.
The Song of song teaches that romance is a gift and art which builds the emotional intimacy that should lead to physical intimacy between a husband and wife. This book also teaches the value of romance as an important and significant part of marriage. Romance isn’t about putting on your best front just to catch a mate. Rather, it’s the particular blessing given to a husband and wife to enhance and enrich their intimacy.

Song of Solomon 2 gives some insight into biblical romance as the prelude to intimacy between a husband and wife.
The chapter opens with the couple sharing how they value each other above all others. Solomon compares his wife to an especially beautiful and valuable flower among all other women. Thus husbands are to express our delight in the physical beauty of our wives.
Solomon’s wife exults and rests in his love. She too sees him as especially desirable among all other men. With him she feels safe, protected and particularly valued. Men can begin to fan the flames of intimacy by taking care to protect, provide for and show our wives how much their valued.
Her husband’s appreciation of her unique beauty, his care to protect and provide for her, his effort to make to make her feel special and valued begins to arouse her desire for him. Though she looks forward to experiencing his love she knows that it will have to wait. This is why God’s people shouldn’t get caught up in America’s dating scene. We should not want to share kind of special intimacy to anyone we haven’t made a commitment to.
The beloved’s excitement continues at the sound of her husbands voice. He speaks tenderly to her inviting her to join him for a time of love. He comes to get her and take her away to be swept up in each others love. Husbands can build intimacy by telling our wives of our desire to be with, care for and love them. Because no relationship is perfect the bride warns her husband to be careful of the things that can destroy their emotional/psychological/spiritual intimacy and thus ruin physical intimacy.
This entire expression of delightful romance occurs between two people are committed in the bond of covenant marriage. Both know that this isn’t a one night stand or just a season to kick it with someone. They’ve pledged not just to spend one night together but to spend a lifetime together. Unlike worldly romance, biblical romance begins on the day of the wedding. For biblical romance is the art of nourishing holistic intimacy that leads to a joyful expression of physical intimacy.

We can experience the joy of intimacy knowing that the love in the marital relationship reflects Christ’s love for His bride the church.

Jesus Christ left His own Father to come and take His bride to Himself. Christ showed the unselfish concern a husband ought to have for His wife by giving up the splendor of glory to take up a frail body of flesh and blood.
Christ’s example shows us that unselfishness in marriage and physical intimacy within marriage is the pathway toward lasting fulfillment.
Jesus Christ’s holds fast in faithful covenant love toward His people. He demonstrated the extent of His love and faithfulness on the cross.
Christ’s example highlights that intimacy within marriage flows from a husband’s total commitment to the complete well being of his wife.
The blessing of physical intimacy within marriage is that it is one of the chief ways that a couple can give themselves to each other without reservation or fear.

Like a husband is to know his wife intimately on every level and a wife her husband, so Christ has brought the church to Himself that we might grow in our knowledge of Him that leads to heartfelt, intimate worship. Hosea 2:19-20 (ESV) And I will betroth you to me forever. I will betroth you to me in righteousness and in justice, in steadfast love and in mercy. I will betroth you to me in faithfulness. And you shall know the Lord.

Our relationship with Christ is one in which we increasingly grow in our knowledge of Him which leads to obedience and heartfelt, intimate worship. That’s why theology is important in our intimate walk with the Lord. Just as the physical intimacy of marriage is enriched and enlivened when husbands and wives take the time to grow to really know each other so our worship of God is enriched the more we know of Him. It’s important to remember that God compares our worship of him to the physical intimacy between a husband and wife. That’s how valuable, sacred and intimate it is. This kind of worship can’t happen if we aren’t growing in our knowledge of God.

Jesus promises to show the full extent of His infinite, affectionate love to His bride at the marriage supper of the Lamb.
Rev. 19:6-9 Then I heard what seemed to be the voice of a great multitude, like the roar of many waters and like the sound of mighty peals of thunder, crying out, "Hallelujah! For the Lord our God the Almighty reigns. Let us rejoice and exult and give him the glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and his Bride has made herself ready; it was granted her to clothe herself with fine linen, bright and pure"—for the fine linen is the righteous deeds of the saints. And the angel said to me, "Write this: Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb." And he said to me, "These are the true words of God."

Finally, we can experience the joy of intimacy by asking for, receiving and experiencing God’s forgiveness of sexual sin as well as being healed from the wounds of sexual abuse.

All of us have experienced the pain of sexual brokenness and sin in one form or another. Either we’ve engaged in sexual sin or been sinned against sexually.
The comfort of Scripture is that there’s grace and abundant forgiveness for those who violated the God’s word regarding physical intimacy. 1 Cor. 6:9-11 (ESV) Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.
By God’s grace, through the death and resurrection of our Lord and the power of the Spirit three things have happened to those of us who were formerly sexually immoral.

Our conscience and souls have been completely cleansed from all guilt and shame associated with our former sexual immorality.
We’ve now been set apart for God’s exclusive use and glory. That includes enjoying physical intimacy within the bonds of holy matrimony. God does not view repentant, forgiven and redeemed saints who were sexually immoral as second class Christians who can’t fully participate in His worship and service.
We’ve been given the complete, perfect righteousness of Jesus Christ. Satan nor anyone else can ever bring a charge to God regarding our lives that would cause our Lord to reverse course on our salvation.
God can and will bring emotional, spiritual and psychological healing to those who’ve been sexually abused, misused and violated. Those who are victims of sexual abuse can turn to Jesus Christ for full healing and wholeness.

To Him Who Loves Us...
Pastor Lance

The Joy of Physical Intimacy

May 7th, 2006. How can we experience the joy intimacy? Genesis 4:1.

There is no doubt that our culture preaches, models, advocates for and does all it can to encourage the pure pleasure of physical intimacy. In fact from observing our society it appears that the only place where you shouldn’t expect to enjoy physical intimacy is within the holy covenant of marriage between a man and a woman.
However, what does Scripture say about physical intimacy? Is God basically against physical intimacy and only views it as a necessary evil for the procreation of children?

This mention of Adam and Eve’s intimacy after the fall is helpful for two reasons. Like the rest of us Adam and Eve had to struggle through doubt, pain and brokenness to engage in intimate relations. Despite the sin that threatened to divide them Adam still had to hold fast to his wife and become one with her in body, emotion and mind.
All of us who are married and engage in physical intimacy do so in the midst of sin and brokenness. We’ll all have to struggle with issues of trust and vulnerability.

That said, God has blessed and looks with favor on physical intimacy within the holy covenant of marriage. God is not opposed to intimacy any more than He’s against worship. He is of course against any kind of physical intimacy outside the covenant union between and man and woman. There is no where in Scripture where you can find an example of physical relations that are blessed outside of marriage.
Yet, how can God’s people experience the joy of physical intimacy?’

The joy of intimacy begins once we accept and embrace that God created our soul, body and mind for His purpose and glory. God is glorified when we enjoy the pleasure of physical intimacy within the covenant of marriage between a man and a woman. Enjoying physical intimacy within marriage is a way to actively glorify the Lord with the body He made for you. Joyful sacred intimacy cannot happen unless we have and pursue a biblical view of physical intimacy. Intimacy outside of marriage is clearly not the will of God for your life. 1 Thes. 4:1-3 Finally, then, brothers, we ask and urge you in the Lord Jesus, that as you received from us how you ought to live and to please God, just as you are doing, that you do so more and more. [2] For you know what instructions we gave you through the Lord Jesus. [3] For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you abstain from sexual immorality;

There is no human argument no matter how logical and reasonable it sounds that sets aside the biblical commands concerning intimacy. Notice that Paul tells the saints that they are to live sexually pure lives for the purpose of pleasing God and in direct obedience to the Lord Jesus Christ. Establishing a lifestyle of abstinence while single is the surest pathway toward pleasing God, obeying Jesus Christ and beginning a marriage filled with the blessings of physical intimacy. A lifestyle of abstinence includes refraining from intimate relations, any kind of prelude to intimacy such as kissing or touching or anything that would arouse the desire for intimacy, such as viewing any kind of pornography, reading about intimacy, listening to music that promotes intimacy or even talking and joking about intimacy.
I strongly suggest that in order to avoid premature intimacy and the spiritual and emotional pain that comes with it that God’s people not get into the American dating game.

Marriage is the place and only place to explore, investigate, experiment and enjoy the full blessings and benefits of physical intimacy. Just as God commands us to not engage in sex outside of marriage so he commands us to enjoy intimacy within marriage. Thus just as it is the will of God for you not to engage in sexual activity outside of marriage so it is the will of God for you to engage and enjoy sexual intimacy within marriage. Proverbs 5:18-19 Let your fountain be blessed, and rejoice in the wife of your youth, a lovely deer, a graceful doe. Let her breasts fill you at all times with delight; be intoxicated always in her love.

The language used here and elsewhere to describe physical intimacy between a husband and wife speaks of the positive view Scripture has on sexuality within marriage. It speaks of the man’s fountain, that is the climax of his physical intimacy as being blessed. This blessing is not only due to the physical nature of intimacy but because the physical activity is done within the blessing of marriage and thus does not bring shame and guilt before the Creator who knows all that we do at the time we are doing it. Physical intimacy is blessed because the young man rejoices, that is takes extreme and lasting delight in his wife. She’s not merely an object to satisfy his physical urges, but a lifetime companion given to him by God. Moreover, he only has eyes for her. The intimacy is blessed because it is good. It is satisfying to both the man and his wife as they each enjoy the body God has given them to fulfill one of the purposes for which He created it. God has made our bodies in such a way so that we can and should enjoy intimacy and he is therefore pleased when we do so within marriage. It is blessed because the young man is told to always be swept up and away by the affectionate love that leads to intimacy with his wife. Another way of saying this is that the young man is told to be captivated by sexual desire and attraction for his wife.

Have you believed, embraced and are now practicing a biblical view of physical intimacy? Do you trust the Lord that all of the joy you want to experience from physical intimacy can be found in marriage? Or, are you playing the part of the fool of proverbs? Are you one who ignores and rejects the sound wisdom of God’s word and foolishly pursues selfish pleasure as an end in and of itself? If you’re married are you experiencing the joy of intimacy as an overflow of a strong, growing and healthy relationship? Or do you long to return the very first days of your marriage when the relationship seemed new, fresh and limitless?

We can experience the joy intimacy when we practice the biblical principles of a growing, godly marriage. It is within the safe confines of such a marriage that we‘re free to begin knowing one another. Genesis 2:24-25 Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh. [25] And the man and his wife were both naked and were not ashamed.

Godly marriages begin when a man and woman leave part of their old life behind and transfer their loyalties and priorities to the new marital relationship. It means that they now recognize that they must live to please their mates first and foremost, not their parents or old friends. Perhaps you were used to pleasing your parents or yourself. It means that they don’t allow in-laws or anyone else to come between their relationship and
being committed to beginning a new covenant home with their own traditions.
Finally it means dealing with past hurts and issues so that they don’t harm the new relationship.
Growing godly marriages happen when couples begin to build a strong, lasting unity with each other. To hold fast (or cling) is to be bound together in all the situations and circumstances of life. Holding fast or clinging to each other calls husbands and wives to constantly pursue unity of purpose in the marriage and not to let the stuff of life create a wedge of separation. It obviously means to be faithful in all aspects of the marriage. To be faithful sexually and emotionally. To cling is to not give yourself to anyone else but to the mate God has given to you. This faithfulness expands to a declared, firm commitment to always value and build up your mate and the relationship. Holding fast to each other should move husbands and wives to look out for and seek to meet the various needs of your spouse.
Growing godly marriages happen when husbands and wives develop an intimate, holistic relationship grounded in mutual trust, respect and unselfish love for each other. They begin to know each other on a spiritual, emotional and psychological level that leads to knowing each other on a physical level. Husbands and wives are called to be vulnerable before each other. Your mate is the one whom you should grow to be person you share all of the intimate details of your life, thoughts, fears, dreams etc. Our mates should have a growing, deep knowledge of our emotions, mental state and spiritual state. This is especially true concerning our own sexuality. Physical fulfillment in marriage starts as we begin the process of fully sharing our inner selves before our mates in an atmosphere of love, commitment and trust. We must open ourselves up to our mates and attentively listen when they open themselves up to us.

What is keeping you from enjoying the kind of marriage described in Genesis 2? Are there areas and issues that you have to repent of before your mate? Are they enjoying the relationship or merely grinding it out? If so, what is your commitment as one who belongs to the Lord, is a new creation in Christ and has the power of the Spirit in dealing with the lack of intimacy in the marriage? Do you believe that your marriage is beyond hope or repair?

No matter how bad your marriage is let me encourage you by the words of Hos. 3. Hosea 3:1-5 (ESV) And the Lord said to me, "Go again, love a woman who is loved by another man and is an adulteress, even as the Lord loves the children of Israel, though they turn to other gods and love cakes of raisins." [2] So I bought her for fifteen shekels of silver and a homer and a lethech of barley. [3] And I said to her, "You must dwell as mine for many days. You shall not play the whore, or belong to another man; so will I also be to you." [4] For the children of Israel shall dwell many days without king or prince, without sacrifice or pillar, without ephod or household gods. [5] Afterward the children of Israel shall return and seek the Lord their God, and David their king, and they shall come in fear to the Lord and to his goodness in the latter days.

Just as God didn’t give up on His relationship with His people so we need not give up on our marriages. Just as Jesus Christ loved, pursued and died for His bride so we can continue to love, pursue and give ourselves for our mates. God who breathed new life into Adam, and raised Christ from the dead can through the power of Spirit bring new, vital life to our marriages. By giving ourselves first to Him and living for His glory we can experience the joy of physical intimacy in the blessed union of marriage.

To Him Who Loves Us…
Pastor Lance

Race War. Genesis 4:1-26.

April 30th, 2006. Race War. Genesis 4:1-26.

In Genesis 3 God declares war against Satan and the forces of evil. This war will be played out on the earth and through two races of people. One race will follow Satan, disregard God, live only for the comforts and pleasures of this world and exist in animosity and hostility towards God’s people. The other race will by God’s grace pursue a lifestyle characterized by worship and obedience to God through Jesus Christ. They will live to embody and promote God’s word, will and agenda. They too will live in hostility towards the other race but not with the intention to do any kind of harm to them. Their hostility will be evident in their witness in that their lives, actions and proclamation of the gospel will be offensive to those who reject God to follow their own way.
The question is simple: Whose side are you on?

This race war begins in the house of Adam and Eve and is characterized by how each race regards God’s living word.
Gen. 4 introduces us to the biblical concept of human intimacy. Scripture teaches that physical intimacy is reserved for a husband and wife within the covenant of marriage. Thus, when enjoyed within the covenant of marriage between a man and woman the pleasure of physical intimacy is a blessing that God is pleased to give his creation.
However, physical intimacy apart from the covenant of marriage is rebellion against God and the surest pathway toward physical, emotional, psychological and spiritual pain and stress.

How do you regard God’s word concerning this vital issue? Does the word of God set the direction regarding how you live one of most intimate aspects of your existence?

The race war is seen in how each race responds to God’s means of salvation.
Eve expresses her faith by acknowledging that God has helped her to bring forth ‘the’ man. She was mistaken about the nature of Cain, but not about God’s intention to rescue them from sin’s ultimate destruction through her offspring.
Faith is necessary for the salvation of God’s people. We must believe that God will save, that is rescue us from having to face His fierce, passionate, settled, certain and very much righteous anger against us for our sin by the means He’s prescribed.

The race war is highlighted by Cain and Abel’s reaction to the living God.
Cain and those of his race are marked by a constant, willful disregard for God. Cain does not wish to worship God, is angry that God would even demand worship, loyalty and service and finally expresses his anger on the one who represents God.

Abel and those of his race are marked by their faith in God to rescue them from His anger and establish a joyful, vital and righteous relationship with Him. Abel offers God right worship in the right way, his offering is a testimony that he was aware of his own sinfulness and like millions perhaps billions of his race Abel is persecuted for his faith in God.

There are two races of people in the world. These races have nothing to do with the color of your skin or the continent your people originally came from. You are either apart of the race that belongs to God and thus follow after the faith of Abel or you are apart of the one that belongs to Satan and follows after the works of Cain. How can you know what one you belong to? It’s simple, have you believed in Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sin and a right relationship with God characterized by worship, obedience and service? Or do you identify more with Cain?

Cain’s stubborn resistance to the worship and way of God lead him to make Abel the race war’s first casualty.
Cain is most interested in enjoying the fruits and blessings of God’s world apart from a worshiping, obedient relationship with God. His depression and anger are signs of his displeasure at the existence of a God that he can‘t control.
The depth of Cain’s depravity is shown by how easy it was to take his brothers life and stamp out God’s image.
Cain’s reaction to his sin doesn’t demonstrate repentance, only his chief desire of self-preservation.

How do you respond when God arrest your sin?

The race war continues as Cain’s descendents start to reveal the shattered image man now lives with.
Humanity is still capable of managing the earth’s resources for our good and creating culture however, man would create and build as monuments to himself and not as expressions of worship to God.
Our shattered image is seen through our political, economic, academic, cultural and even religious systems. Man’s depravity is fully displayed in the life of Cain’s descendent Lamech. He declared the sentiments of his heart with his intention to kill at will.

Does the way of Cain characterize your life? Are you busily going about doing your thing with scarcely a thought or care about the Person, actions, word, worship, will and ways of God?

The birth of Seth reminds and reinforces our conviction in the ultimate victory of the seed of the woman mentioned in Gen. 3.
Seth shows the other side of humanity. While Lamech was praising himself and his ability to murder, Seth’s life was characterized by worshiping the Lord. The birth of Seth also prepares us for the arrival of the one who really is the man, that is Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ is the one who Mary birthed with the help of the Lord. Yet, Jesus unlike Cain was not born with a sinful nature.
Jesus is the One to whom the saints of old including Abel looked forward to by faith.
By faith Abel offered to God a more acceptable sacrifice than Cain, through which he was commended as righteous, God commending him by accepting his gifts. And through his faith, though he died, he still speaks. Heb. 11:4.

Jesus like Abel offers himself in worship and service to God. Yet, unlike Abel Jesus didn’t bring an offering for His own sin, but became the offering for Abel’s sin and all the sin of God’s people.
Hebrews 9:11-14 But when Christ appeared as a high priest of the good things that have come, then through the greater and more perfect tent ( not made with hands, that is, not of this creation) he entered once for all into the holy places, not by means of the blood of goats and calves but by means of his own blood, thus securing an eternal redemption. For if the sprinkling of defiled persons with the blood of goats and bulls and with the ashes of a heifer sanctifies for the purification of the flesh, how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works to serve the living God.

Jesus, unlike Cain mastered the sin that enticed him so that He and He alone was accepted by the Father on His own merits. Thus, He can provide a perfect righteousness for all those who know and acknowledge our inability to stand before God on our own merits. Jesus is now therefore the one we call on for full and final salvation from sin and all its devastating consequences.
For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. Rom. 10:13.

Implications

1. The race war will soon be over. The Lord Himself will return for His people, judge the wicked and rebellious and establish His eternal kingdom of righteousness, justice and peace. If you’ve been playing on the wrong side now is the time to repent and call on Jesus Christ for full and final salvation.

2. For those who have believed in Christ recognize that you are in a war. Satan, this world and your own sinful nature will continue to pressure us to abandon our life of faith and live like the people of Cain.

3. Living by faith and engaging in this great spiritual conflict isn’t a matter of doing spectacular and sensational spiritual exploits. Rather like Abel we humbly offer our worship and obedience to God consistently, joyfully and truthfully through Christ.

4. Let’s remember to pray for our brothers and sisters who endure hard persecution as the forces of Satan seek to stamp out the witness of the gospel by harming and even killing them.


To Him Who Loves Us...
Pastor Lance