Pastor's Desktop Article for Jan 2017

“Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord, nor of me his prisoner, but share in suffering for the gospel by the power of God, who saved us and called us to a holy calling not because of our works but because of his own purpose before the ages began, and which now has been manifested through the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus, who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel, for which I was appointed a preacher and apostle and teacher, which is why I suffer as I do.  But I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed, and I am convinced that he is able to guard until that Day what has been entrusted to me.”

(2 Tim. 1:8-12 ESV)

               

            As we look out upon a fresh New Year, it is just that—a blank slate ready to be filled in.  We all have hopes and dreams, aspirations and goals, but none of us know what this year really holds for any of us.  We tend to mark years as good or bad by what comes through the course of a year, such as new births in a family, or a promotion at work, or some unexpected significant hardship that had to be faced whether we wanted to or not. 

            As I thought about this article, and what encouraging thoughts I could plant in your minds, I was reminded of a favorite hymn of mine based at least in part on this passage, and particularly the latter part of the last verse of it, “for I know whom I have believed, and I am convinced that he is able to guard until that Day what has been entrusted to me.”

            “I know not why God’s wondrous grace to me He hath made known, nor why, unworthy, Christ in love redeemed me for His own.  I know not how this saving faith to me He did impart, nor how believing in His Word wrought peace within my heart.  I know not how the Spirit moves convincing men of sin, revealing Jesus through the Word, creating faith in Him.  I know not when My Lord may come, at night or noon-day fair, nor if I’ll walk the vale with Him, or meet Him in the air.  But I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that He is able to keep that which I’ve committed unto Him against that day.”

            While in the chorus, Major Daniel Whittle takes a direct quote from the KJV of that passage, we find in the verses the message of the gospel that gives us hope despite knowing how unworthy we are.  It is that chorus that we can find peace with the unknown of another year.  Perhaps the past year wasn’t so great; perhaps there are parts of it that we would like to forget.  Maybe for you, it was a great year, and something to look back at with great fondness.  Whatever is the case for you, in this next year, we can still trust that “He is able to keep that which I’ve committed unto Him against that Day.”

            He’s good for it.  He knows what is coming, and how He will use it for His glory and our good.  I hope you’ll be looking to see His hand guiding your days, helping you up when you stumble, carrying you when you’re too tired to go on alone, and celebrating the growth and progress right along with you.  I pray for a blessed New Year for you all.

By His Grace Alone,

Pastor Bruce Jacobsen

Pastor's Desktop Article for November 2016

“Then Job answered the Lord and said:  I know that you can do all things, and that no purpose of yours can be thwarted.  ‘Who is this that hides counsel without knowledge?’ Therefore I uttered what I did not understand, things too wonderful for me, which I did not know.  ‘Hear, and I will speak; I will question you, and you make it known to me.’ I had heard of you by the hearing of the ear, but now my eyes see you; therefore I despise myself, and repent in dust and ashes.”

(Job 42:1-6 ESV)

               

            Who is this God we claim to know?  Do we really know Him?  Have we not created in our own minds a god who is less disgusted with our sin; a god who second guesses, and changes His mind like we do?  We have created in our minds a god who is weak like us; who is faulty like us?  And because we have created this weak faulty god in our minds, we are not able to trust Him, because this god we created is prone to the same failures as we are.  But this is not the God of the Bible, the God who has created us; given us life and breath; given us redemption through the blood of His own Son, Jesus Christ. 

            When we fail to recognize the sovereign nature of our God, it’s no wonder that we worry that this one or that one will be elected to the presidency, or that this party or that one will be in power in our government.  When we have forgotten that God inspired Paul to write in Romans 13:1, “Let every person be subject to the government authorities.  For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God”, it’s no wonder that we act and think as though the world as we know it is coming to an end.  If the world comes to an end, it is the end that the Lord, the sovereign God of all has set for it.  If our once great nation ceases to exist, it will be because the Lord has deemed it so. 

            If that were to happen, if our worst fears were to come to pass, what might be God’s purpose in allowing it to happen?  Just as the nation of Israel got fat and happy when they had finally arrived at the Promised Land, and subdued so many of the nations around them, they began to think it was because of their own strength, their own goodness and righteousness that won them that position, and they soon forgot the provision of the Lord that made their current status possible.  They forgot how they were slaves in Egypt until the Lord delivered them out by His own might and supernatural power.  They forgot how the Lord fed them in the wilderness where there was neither food nor water for them, but He provided it to them.

            Have we not traveled down much the same road?  Before this nation took shape, before patriots dreamed of such a nation, this land was sought out as a place of refuge where people could freely worship God; a place where force of government did not determine the mode or model of their relationship with their God.  Now we have largely forgotten who this God is, and we have made a god that is much easier to please, a god who has lowered his standards to smile at our scandalous behavior.

            One thing will be true on November 9^, 2016, whether we choose to recognize it or not.  God, the Lord Almighty will still be on His throne in heaven with Jesus Christ, His Son at His right hand.  He will still be a God who is perfectly righteous and holy, but for those who would be truly repentant before Him, He will quickly pardon through the shed blood of His Son.  Let us leave room for Him on the throne of our own hearts and lives, and allow no other, not some political leader, nor our own ego to reside there.  Let God be God, and let us faithfully serve Him, and not pretend it to be the other way around.           

By His Grace Alone,

Pastor Bruce Jacobsen

Pastor's Desktop Article for OCtober 2016

“But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed.  For I would have you know, brothers, that the gospel that was preached by me is not man’s gospel.  For I did not receive if from any man, nor was I taught it, but I received if through a revelation of Jesus Christ. “

(Galatians 1:8, 11-12 ESV)

               

           

            It is nothing new that we are bombarded by various “alternative” gospels, or supposed answers to the great question of life, “Why am I here?”  Even in church circles, there are many different “versions” of the gospel, and I’m not talking about Bible Versions, but depending on one’s view of Scripture, their take on the gospel may become skewed.  What sounds good and appealing to TV viewers, or others who more fair weather folks might not be so rooted and grounded in Scripture.  Paul saw the same thing going on in Galatia.

            He had planted the gospel there while apparently dealing with an illness of his eyes, (ch. 4:13-14) and had given them the gospel of Jesus Christ based solely upon salvation through faith in Christ, not upon works of the law.  After he had continued on his missionary journey, someone else, namely the Judiazers, came along and required them to be circumcised in order to be saved.  So now the Galatians were putting their trust in the works of the law, namely the rite of circumcision, instead of in the grace of God offered through faith in Christ alone.

            This concept of a “works” salvation works itself into our minds so subtly that even those who have been in the church for most of our lives can be drawn into it without realizing it.  When we start mentally weighing our good deeds against our bad, and justifying our actions as a result, we have allowed this “works” salvation to creep in.

            The bottom line is that our works, our good deeds, our best efforts at being righteous will never be enough to make us righteous before our holy God.  Only the grace of God, and our faith in the person and work of Jesus Christ can make us right and holy before Him.

            It’s not that we shouldn’t do good works.  Ephesians 2:10 reminds us, “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.”  But the verses prior to that indicate, “For it is by grace you have been saved through faith.  And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.” 

            There will be no boasting in heaven about how good we were, or what great deeds we may have accomplished.  These will all be dwarfed by the realization of how rich and merciful was the grace of God that saved us, and how underserving we all were.  That’s why it will be such a rich time of the worship of God because of the realization of His greatness, His love, and His benevolence toward those who are there in His presence. 

            Let’s begin that recognition of His goodness to us even now, as we offer back ourselves to Him as a living sacrifice (Rom. 12:1), and by making this true gospel known.

             

                       

By His Grace Alone,

Pastor Bruce Jacobsen

Pastor's Desktop Article for September 2016

“But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved—and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.  For by grace you have been saved through faith.  And this not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. “

(Ephesians 2:4-9 ESV)

               

            What is Grace?  We talk about it in the church, we sing about it, we are grateful for it, but how much do we really understand it?  I get the sense that all too often, we think of the position we have been given through faith in Christ as something we’ve achieved on our own somehow, because we were smart enough to figure it out, or we chose wisely in regard to our salvation.  This couldn’t be further from the reality of what grace truly is.  Grace is getting a benefit, some degree of favor that we in no way deserve.  We didn’t have it coming because of our association with a church, or being raised in a Christian home, or because of any “good behavior” we might think we’ve achieved.  Not only did we not deserve it, but we deserved the opposite of grace, we deserved judgment, leading to eternal punishment.  All of us deserved that fate.  That’s what Paul wrote in the verses preceding the passage above.

            We were dead, headed down a dead-end road, on the path to our own destruction, without a real awareness of our dreadful fate when God shows up and grants us this incredible gift—the gift of our heart and mind being opened to His great love for us, and His desire to set us free from the path we were on.  He made us alive in Him.  Alive like we have never been before, awakened to our dreadful selves, and the beauty of His holiness, and putting on us a stamp of “forgiven” without one single effort on our part to grant us that status.  In fact there is nothing we could do to cause us to be forgiven.  It’s a gift from God. 

            He has taken away any ability on our part to be able to boast about our salvation.  Just like the children of Israel, having crossed the Red Sea, and seeing Pharaoh’s army drowned in the sea behind them could not boast and say, “Look what we did!”  Nor can we look back at the forgiveness of God, and the promise of a home in heaven, and lay any claim to that accomplishment.  “It is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.” 

            That is Grace.  God gives us something we in no way deserve in order to express His love for us, and to establish us as His beloved children with full rights of inheritance, being made part of His household forever.  Why us?  It was only because He loved us.  John the apostle writes it this way in John 1:12-13:  “But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.”

            Grace is much more than just the kindness of God, but it is the kindness and love of God at a time when we were still his enemies, rebelling against Him, still serving ourselves, and headed for eternal destruction.  It is love when we were unlovely; it is love when we deserved judgment, and death.  “Amazing grace, how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me, I once was lost but now am found; was blind but now I see.”  John Newton understood grace.

           

                       

By His Grace Alone,

Pastor Bruce Jacobsen