For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths.
2 Timothy 4:3-4 ESV
I hope you see the relevance in this.
The LORD said to Moses, “See, I have called by name Bezalel the son of Uri, son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, and I have filled him with the Spirit of God, with ability and intelligence, with knowledge and all craftsmanship, to devise artistic designs, to work in gold, silver, and bronze, in cutting stones for setting, and in carving wood, to work in every craft.
Exodus 31:1-5 ESV
As recorded in the book of Exodus, Moses spent 40 days on the mountain with Yahweh. That had to be an amazing experience accompanied with a level of fear and reverence none of us has ever known. In the 40 days, Moses received the Law and all instructions God had for building and operating the Tent of Meeting. Yahweh demanded so much that it seemed impossible for any man to do with any level of perfection necessary for a holy God.
But God equips those he calls. Bezalel was given a tremendous task serving the Lord that no man would be capable of, yet God equipped Bezalel with His Spirit so that he could do what the Lord required of him. I find so much comfort in knowing God equips the called with the Holy Spirit to serve Him as He requires.
So whatever you’re calling—preaching, worship leading in music, being a husband or wife, or anything else—God equips you and delights in using such an incapable tool. Glory be to God!
Romans 8:28-30
And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.
A lot of bad things happen. People die. People sin. But its verses like Romans 8:28 that we can rest in as believers. This is why it is important for us to trust in God’s sovereignty: when bad things happen we can rest knowing God is sovereign over all things, and his sovereignty was not, is not, and will never be threatened by an attack of the enemy.
But how can a good God be sovereign over bad things when he promises our good? Verse 29: “For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son.” This is what God is all about in our lives. Predestination is a controversial idea, but their is one thing we are explicitly predestined to: “to be conformed to the image of his Son.”
To be conformed to the image of Jesus is our good that God has promised to work things for. If you love God and are called according to his purpose, you will be conformed to the image of Christ, and God will use any means necessary to complete the work he started in your life.
So it may hurt. But do not turn on God because you don’t understand what God means by “good.” Instead, rest in the faithfulness of God toward those he foreknew. “And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.”
This is a song recorded in a live session called “Made Alive.” Ronnie Morris, Ryan Heard and I got together in a somewhat spontaneous fashion to make some music, and this was our product of the night. These are the lyrics:
Dead men can’t raise themselves/ Buried by sin and guilt/ Our fate was surely sealed/ But our God is greater still// We’ve been made alive in Christ/ We’ve been made alive/ We’ve been redeemed because He died/ We’ve been made alive// Mercy and His great love/ God gave up His Son/ He has seated us high/ By the blood of Christ// We’ve been made alive in Christ/ We’ve been made alive/ We’ve been redeemed because He died/ We’ve been made alive// He became a curse for us/ So in Him we are blessed by God
I hope you enjoy this song and that it ministers to you knowing that if you are in Christ, you have been made alive and seated with Him on high.
These are pictures from a recent songwriting session with my good friend Ryan Heard. This session is the first of many to come in a year-long worship project. Many thanks to Jesse Winchester for his photography.
