Author Archives: Dan Lemburg

About Dan Lemburg

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A Child of God? Really?

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“See how great a love the Father has for us that we would be called children of God? And such we are (1 John 3:1).” Yes, we are children of God! But saying “I am a child of God” often comes off a bit trite, doesn’t it. After all, have we stopped to consider what such a position really means?

What does being a child of God mean? To get just a glimpse, think about your own child for a moment. Do you remember holding him or her for the first time? How about the huge deposit of love and nurturing you invested as your child grew (or maybe is now growing) to maturity. Can you imagine what it would be like to lose that child to death or kidnapping? Heartbreaking doesn’t begin to convey the depth of emotion such an event would entail.

Does God actually feel this way about us? Yes–but to an even greater degree, for our love for our own is but a shadow of His love for us. His love for His children is incomprehensible to our finite mind.

So the next time you think or speak of being a child of God, stop and consider what it all really must mean. And then begin to take steps toward living it out as a reality. Begin to truly commune with Jesus each and every day, remembering how meaningful it is when our own kids make the effort to genuinely reach out to us. Let’s begin 2012 on a new foot!

The Human Condition

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Have you ever dwelt on the fact that Jesus was “tempted (or, tested) in all things as we are?” (Hebrews 4:15) What does it really mean for Him to have taken the form of human flesh? It means that Jesus–and by extension, the Godhead (Father, Son and Holy Spirit)–came to intimately share in the rigors of the human condition.

As a resident of this world, we know that temptation and suffering are an ever-present reality. And Jesus knows it too. He suffered it as we do, both in what was just quoted above and in His physical suffering and death on the cross. Yes, He understands what you are going through, not only sympathizing but empathizing with you. There’s not a thing we as humans have suffered that Jesus did not also experience in His humanity.

This is why we can have such confidence in the midst of the turmoils of life. The writer of Hebrews goes on to say in verse 16: “Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in the time of need.” Be encouraged! God is for you, not against you.

Never Could Earn Our Way!

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              The pursuit of righteousness through obedience to law is what Paul called the “elementary principles of the world.” Man has an inbred penchant for attempting to justify himself in this way; it’s absolutely fundamental to our thinking about God. And why shouldn’t it be? Because this philosophy of life has been hammered into us since the dawn of man, it’s not easy to escape. It just seems so right! So given this fact, we can’t judge Israel too harshly for falling into this trap—they merely “stumbled over the stumbling stone.”

            Making people work for righteousness was never God’s intent for law. Even in the Old Testament, grace was the key to righteousness before God. He instituted a system of sacrifice and offerings not for the Israelites to earn their way into His good graces, but that they might experience His forgiveness as they obeyed Him. Obeying God was to be an act of faith on their part, not merely an attempt to accumulate enough points to somehow satisfy Him. God’s intention regarding His grace is nowhere more evident than in the Old Testament ritual of the Day of Atonement described in Leviticus 16.

(Excerpted from “Free from the Power of Sin: The Keys to Growing in God in Spite of Yourself”)


Faith is no Cake-walk

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God does not normally reveal Himself in a way that our physical senses can perceive Him, so this is why faith is required on our part. Now I’m not suggesting that God doesn’t allow us to be aware of His presence; He does. Our experience of Him, however, comes by spiritual means—not physical. But why would God keep Himself hidden at all? Wouldn’t it be much easier to simply appear to us periodically to tell us what He wants? Well, that wouldn’t require faith, would it? Our inability to grasp Him by our natural senses makes faith indispensable. Faith is at the very heart of God’s plan for us. That’s why Scripture tells us that it’s impossible for man to satisfy God without it (Hebrews 11:6). But since faith is so contrary to everything instinctive to our humanity, believing Him will never be all that easy. To be sure, it appears that He never meant it to be! (Romans 8:24-25)

(Excerpted from “Free from the Power of Sin: The Keys to Growing in God in Spite of Yourself”)

God’s Mystery Revealed

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Christ’s gospel holds marvelous privileges for us as God’s children, doesn’t it? But the sheer scope of the gospel can’t help but raise the question as to how Jesus applies everything He’s accomplished to our lives. Sometimes we excuse ourselves from the pursuit of the whole truth, thinking it’s just not realistic to fully comprehend it. Didn’t Paul himself say, “Things which eye has not seen and ear has not heard, and which have not entered into the heart of man, all that God has prepared for those who love Him?” Ah, but we tend to forget that the very next verse plainly tells us that we can: “For to us God revealed them through the Spirit; for the Spirit searches all things, even the depths of God.” (1 Corinthians 12:9-10)

            The fact of the matter is that the “mystery of Christ” was never meant to be undiscoverable (Colossians 2:2-3). Just as in a good novel, the mystery is always solved at the end (the Greek word for mystery in fact means that we can expect to uncover what’s hidden). And God knows that until we really get it we have little chance of emerging from what can only be described as a state of stunted growth. So what do you say? Why not go for it!

(Excerpted from “Free from the Power of Sin: The Keys to Growing in God in Spite of Yourself”)

It’s the Journey that’s Important

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What does godliness actually mean? The term itself sounds a little scary, doesn’t it? After all, “How could I ever be thought of as being godly?” Indeed, knowing the reality of human nature, how could any of us? But isn’t there a misunderstanding here? You see, the definition of godliness is: devotion which is characterized by an attitude toward doing that which pleases God. So we shouldn’t think of godliness only as a position we need to arrive at somewhere along life’s path, much less a final destination. Instead, it is what we are to devote ourselves toward. Godliness is a mindset of pursuit—a quest which keeps us constantly engaged in seeking God’s will, and thus living to please Him.

(Excerpted from “Free from the Power of Sin: The Keys to Growing in God in Spite of Yourself”)

Thanksgiving: Are We Appreciative?

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This special day rolls around just once a year, reminding us to be thankful for everything we have. But just what is it that we should be most thankful for? Some thoughts:

Most often our appreciation centers around the things we enjoy as possessions. We have been taught in our culture that material wealth brings happiness. Oh, we wouldn’t be so crass as openly broadcast this, but what message does Black Friday really send? We also center thankfulness on our relationships with family and friends, which is, of course, much more admirable but still often flirting with self-centeredness.

What about peace? What about security? As I look at Tahrir Square or Syria, I am instantly reminded that much of the world lives with the daily fear of instability and turmoil. We have very few of these problems as a nation, though some do their best to make it so. But why have we been given the blessing of peace and security? Why are we so privileged? It’s because of those who have gone before us, laying solid ground both on which to stand and to build.

We often forget that all we have come to enjoy has been made possible by the sweat and tears of our ancestors. We tend to think that it is our right to enjoy such a privileged lifestyle. Yet we never would have what we do if it were not for their dedication and perseverance. We would be where they once were, needing to build for our own future and the future of our descendants. 

And this brings us to what should be a logical conclusion: what are we doing to build not only for ourselves but also for future generations? Are we merely thankful for what we enjoy while ignoring our responsibility to others? Have we come to take entitlements for granted? Are we a part of the solutions to our country’s challenges, or are we a contributor to its problems.

Our thankfulness not only on this day but each and every day needs to be centered in our ability to give, not merely what we have given, rememering that “it is more blessed to give than to receive.”   

 

“The Power of Sin is the Law”

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While the principle of freedom from the power of sin is woven throughout the fabric of the gospel, it still can be a bit confusing. Paul says, “The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law.” (1 Corinthians 15:56) But don’t you find this a little surprising? It seems here as if sin’s power is tied directly to the law. So freedom from the power of sin must somehow be very closely related to freedom from the law.

Yet we tend to think about freedom from sin only as being liberated from the problem of sinning. So how could being set free from the law have anything to do with sin losing its power over us? Well, the truth is that freedom from the law has everything to do with freeing us from sin’s power. But if you’re like most Christians, your grasp of this principle is probably a little sketchy.

(Excerpted from “Free from the Power of Sin: The Keys to Growing in God in Spite of Yourself”)

Diapership to Discipleship

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Going from diapers to being house broken is not an easy transition. We’ve all been there, both in our childhood and in our spiritual infancy. But why stay there? Let’s be honest: because it’s easier! It takes effort to learn a new way of doing things, doesn’t it?

God wants each of us to graduate from milk to solid food (1 Cor. 3:1-2). Only then can we begin to grow and mature according to His wonderful purpose for our life. We begin with a commitment to pursue Him–no matter how much inconvenience it may cause–because only in truly communing with Jesus will we ever be able to hear from Him. Only spending quality time with Him will we ever experience substance in our relationship with Him.

So, diapers or disciples, which will it be? Let’s ask Dad to help us make this critical transition.

 

 

Not just Troops but Fighters

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Recently I woke up in the early hours of the morning (one of those expedient bathroom calls). Getting out of bed the thought came to me: “We need to stop being troops and start being fighters.” What an odd thought to have, especially under those circumstances. As I reflected on it later that morning, I concluded that it could only be the Lord speaking to me. But what did He mean?

Here is what I’m sure God was saying: We often talk about being a part of God’s army, not realizing what that really should entail. We are happy to serve Him, but not always willing to go beyond the routine duties of the Christian life. We are merely another one of the troops. Yet God is calling not just for troops but troops who are willing to fight.

Being a fighter in God’s kingdom means being willing to tackle any order He may issue. It means being diligent and persevering in whatever you think He has called you to do. He wants to use us in ways we could never really dream possible. But He can’t do that with any old member of His troops. God must have fighters serving Him. Only then will He be able to reach through His Church to impact this wounded and dying world.