October 18, 2009

• Letter 6 on assurance and fighting for joy (and the Gospel and revival)

  I'm continuing to write about assurance and fighting for joy...If you have not already done so, I would recommend you read the previous five letters in this series here, here, here, here and here...

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  Dear friend, co-laborer in Christ and contender for the Gospel,

  As I have been reflecting more on the assurance and joy God wants us to have in Him, a couple days ago I began to wonder whether I was getting off track in writing of our need for us to fight to know Him and to know His joy. You know how so often my brain continues to juggle a passel of things at any one time and I can't possibly begin to express them all. My brain goes at 100 miles an hour and I can't begin to write or type so fast to put it all down.

  Bear with me here now and consider with me the following:

  You know how God has given us both a passion to see His glorious Gospel upheld against any false gospels.

  You know how God has given us both a desire to pray for revival.

  Though some may not know my heart, you already know my deep concern for the churches and my holy ambition, and the direction God gave me this year regarding the ministry of the Word and prayer and evangelism. (If you've not read these posts, I invite you to do so...you'll have a better idea of what I'm doing here and what makes me tick...)
  
  O, we do not want to be disobedient to the heavenly vision! God forbid! We do want to run the race set before us. Has this focus on joy and my writing about joy been part of the race set before me? You know I don't want to be distracted. I want to press on so I might not be disqualified. By His grace at work in me, I want to work hard so I might finish all the work He has ordained for me.

  As I have reflected on these things, I must say that I am quite convinced it has not been a distraction, but, in fact, it is a vital necessity. These truths about the assurance and the joy God wants us to have in and through Jesus Christ so very much complement those other desires He has given to us (our desires for His Gospel to be rightly preached and for revival to come to the Church).

  Is not the Gospel rooted in knowing God's love for us in Jesus Christ? Is that not what I've been trying to remind you of (and remind myself of) as I've written my letters so far – all so our joy might be full and His joy might remain in us?

  Let's go back to the angel's announcement to the shepherds. What was it the angel said? I bring you good news of great joy. News of what? great JOY! Not great theology! Not great philosophy! Not great orthodoxy! Not great activity! Not great programs! Great joy! Great joy because we have been reconciled to God! Sinners who once were far from a holy God have been brought near by the precious blood of Christ. How can we not have great joy!

  So let us continue to fight for joy and to strive to know Him. Is not this eternal life: that we might know Him and Jesus Christ whom He has sent and have great joy! Is this not a wondrous thing? Is this not the Christian hedonism about which John Piper writes: to glorify God by enjoying Him forever? Is this not what the Psalmists were expressing? O satisfy us early with thy mercy; that we may rejoice and be glad all our days. Glory! Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore. His banner over us is love. How can we not enjoy Him? How can we not rejoice in Him? He is rejoicing over us.

  We have both lamented how the Gospel has become anything but a focus on the relationship we have with God through Jesus Christ. We've grieved as we've watched legalism, licentiousness, social gospel, cold orthodoxy and so forth run rampant in the Church. And, as a result, the glorious Gospel has been obscured.

  O, can we not rejoice in the Gospel, in God's love and mercy shown us in Jesus Christ:

  But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light: 10 Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.

  We who were in darkness have been brought into His marvelous light! Good news of great joy!
  We who were not a people are now a people! Good news of great joy!
  We who had not obtained mercy have now obtained mercy! Good news of great joy!

  This is the Gospel of Jesus Christ, is it not? The power of God unto salvation to everyone who believes! Good news of great joy!

  And now consider this: As we know Him and His love and His joy and His delight in us, will not His love, His joy, His delight so consume and constrain and compel and control us so that we cannot help but make Him known? That we might show forth His praises! Is this not why Paul's desire was to know Him and to make Him known? How can a soul truly enraptured and enthralled by the love of God keep that love to himself? Does not such a soul overwhelmed by the love of God naturally overflow with that love to the world? Evangelism becomes no longer a chore but the desire of our heart because He is the desire of our heart!

  I feel we are on the brink here of something much greater that we really don't understand, don't you agree?

  And what is revival but the sovereign movement of God's Spirit coming into the lives of many of His people to call them back to their first Love? Have we not been cold or lukewarm to Him for too long? Does He not want us to know the blessedness we once knew, that day heaven came down and glory filled our souls? O, that our churches would be filled to overflowing with souls that knew Him rather than only knew about Him! Souls that were captivated by the love of Christ. Souls filled with the joy of His salvation! Can you imagine it? Can you see His glory descending? Can you hear the songs of Zion raising the roof? Can you see our places of worship shaken once more as the Spirit comes down in our midst? Can you hear praises to our God as the Spirit baptizes us with fire? Can you see the feet by the thousands shod with the gospel of peace going out to the ends of the earth? Can you hear the shouts from the housetops? And then, can you see them, the sheep, once harassed and helpless, now being brought in? Can you see those countless souls coming in droves up to Mt. Zion?

  I hope you will consider these things with me as well. I am rejoicing in Him and rejoicing in the work He has already done and in what He will yet do!

  Though we may sow in tears today, can we not continue to do so in joy? We don't need to wait for the harvest to rejoice, do we? Blessed are those who have not seen yet believe! Let us continue to rejoice in Him always. May we also rejoice and be glad for the work He has done (and continues to do) in our souls and has promised to bring to completion in the day of Christ Jesus.

  Let us reflect on His great Gospel, His love, mercy and grace shown to us in Jesus Christ, so we might rejoice together in Him as we continue to labor in the harvest even when we see no fruit on the vine,

  Karen

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