by Eric Holter on December 15, 2004
“The way of the wicked is an abomination to the LORD,
But He loves him who pursues righteousness.”
Proverbs 15:9
It’s only my dullness that keeps my heart from shouting out for joy over the gift of righteousness given to me in Christ. Christ’s very own righteousness – for me – as a free gift? What could I give for it, how could I prepare my heart to make it worthy for this gift? I can’t give anything – I can’t do anything. The imputation of Christ’s righteousness is an inestimable gift that comes only by grace through God given faith.
[click to continue…]
by Eric Holter on July 20, 2004
“…So our eyes look to the Lord our God,
Until He shall be gracious to us.”
Psalms 123:2
I’m so glad that John Piper took the time to write an entire book called “Future Grace” to underscore the future orientation of our faith that looks to God for grace in meeting all our current and future needs. For myself, as an American evangelical Christian, my theological backdrop has strongly emphasized the all sufficiency of Christ’s work on the cross, my total justification by his blood, and my security in being saved. These are all precious facts rooted and established in the past work of Christ. I ought always to remember and be strengthened by such rock solid foundations.
[click to continue…]
by Eric Holter on July 5, 2004
“Shout for joy, O daughter of Zion! Shout in triumph, O Israel! Rejoice and exult with all your heart, O daughter of Jerusalem! The LORD has taken away His judgments against you, He has cleared away your enemies. The King of Israel, the LORD, is in your midst; You will fear disaster no more.”
“The LORD your God is in your midst, A victorious warrior. He will exult over you with joy, He will be quiet in His love, He will rejoice over you with shouts of joy.”
Zephaniah 3:14-15, 17
At, first, when I read verses like these in Zephaniah, verses that extol me to shout with joy, or to rejoice and exalt with all my heart, at first my heart rises with the possibility of such an astounding and consuming joy in God. Quickly following this spark, however, sadness often comes because my heart, in fact, is not like this. Such exuberance of joy and gladness displayed in such active expressions as shouting for joy are not typical of my emotional currents. Yet the occasion that calls for such joyful, glad celebration has been more completely delivered to me than it had been for those to whom these verses were originally written. They originally promised a physical deliverance from armies of oppressors. I have been given a greater deliverance; I have been delivered from sin. All God’s judgments have been thoroughly taken away from me. He has utterly defeated my enemies. Why shouldn’t my heart rejoice and shout joyfully since I have received, in full, these promises?
[click to continue…]
by Eric Holter on June 10, 2004
“O may Thy lovingkindness comfort me,
According to Thy word to Thy servant.
May Thy compassion come to me that I may live,
For Thy law is my delight.”
Psalm 119:76-77
I am so thankful this morning for the constant effectiveness of God’s word. God faithfully ministers, through His word, to bring His comforting love, and His life giving compassion to my soul. God has made so many promises to me; promises to be for me all that I need. He has connected these promises to a sure and steadfast delivery method; the method of contemplating His word. To be sure God uses many other delivery methods for imparting grace. In fact, He uses every good thing as a channel of His grace and mercy so that my soul’s satisfaction and joy may always be full in Christ. Yet the sure effectiveness and power of His word constantly and continually produces the fruit of faith. No wonder Psalm 119 expresses so much love and delight in God’s word. The word of God is a well spring of revelation, it is a touch stone for faith, it is a channel through which the Spirit continually flows with soul satisfying power.
O Lord, let your word always deliver your comforts to me by showing me much of your astounding lovingkindness. Cause my heart to overflow with delight as your compassion rests on me through your word. Your word is such a delight because it brings you closer to me. Thank you for your faithfulness. Thank you for giving me such a means for drawing near to you. Amen.
by Eric Holter on June 5, 2004
“But Jesus answered and said, ‘you are mistaken, not understanding the Scriptures, or the power of God.’”
Matthew 22:29
Look at the connection between understanding the scriptures and understanding the power of God. The Sadducees were mistaken on both points, but these are probably not two points, but one. In order to understand the scriptures we must have in view the awesome power of God. Having such a view of God’s magnificence will open our eyes and our understanding of the scriptures, which will themselves then reinforce and strengthen our view of God as the almighty Lord of all.
[click to continue…]
by Eric Holter on April 15, 2004
“Thy people will volunteer freely in the day of Thy power.”
Psalms 110:3
When Jesus comes to rule the earth, when his strong scepter stretches forth from Zion, His people will volunteer freely and willingly to serve Him. We will volunteer freely, without being pressed into service. We will not volunteer under compulsion, nothing else will compete for our attention or draw us away from serving the Lord our king. We will not serve out of self-disciplined determination. Rather, our motivation will be full and free, like the sun shining forth at dawn, like dew that saturates the ground. We will sign up for duty – not for pay, or to gain some other desire we think might result from serving. We will volunteer freely, willingly, gladly!
[click to continue…]
by Eric Holter on April 5, 2004
“Then they believed His words;
They sang His praise.”
“Then they despised the pleasant land;
They did not believe His word.
But they grumbled in their tents;
They did not listen to the voice of the Lord. “
Psalms 106: 12, 24-25
What a contrast between belief and unbelief in the hearts of God’s people. When we walk in faith, believing in his Word, we sing his praises! Joy fills our hearts and we delight to be in His presence. “Whistle while you work” goes that simple song, but O how profound. His yoke is easy and his burden is light when we trust him and look to him to “act on behalf of the one who waits for him” (Isaiah 64: 4). The hardest of tasks lose their oppressive weight when we, like Paul, work hard, “yet not I but the grace of God with me” (1 Corinthians 15: 10). To work and serve “so as by the strength which God supplies, so that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ” (1 Peter 4:11) results in our singing and delighting in God’s praise and glory.
[click to continue…]
by Eric Holter on March 20, 2004
“Glory in His holy name;
Let the heart of those who seek the LORD be glad.
Seek the LORD and His strength; seek His face continually.
Remember His wonders which He has done,
His marvels and the judgments uttered by His mouth,”
“He sent a man before them,
Joseph, who was sold as a slave.
They afflicted his feet with fetters;
he himself was laid in irons;
Until the time that his word came to pass,
the word of the LORD tested him.
Psalm 105: 3-5, 17-19
Among God’s wonderful stories, which display His glory and make my heart glad by demonstrating His strength, is the story of Joseph in prison. I can imagine Joseph sitting in chains, unable to leave his cell or move about freely. His feet were afflicted in his fetters, he was in misery. Day after day, month after month, year after year he looked at the same dreary walls. His heart must have sunk within him. He must have cried out “Why?” “Why am I stuck here, why must I sit here, chained in this cell?”
[click to continue…]
by Eric Holter on March 15, 2004
“And a Canaanite woman from that region came out and began to cry out, saying, ‘Have mercy on me, Lord, Son of David; my daughter is cruelly demon-possessed.’ But He did not answer her a word. And His disciples came and implored Him, saying, ‘Send her away, because she keeps shouting at us.’ But He answered and said, ‘I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.’ But she came and began to bow down before Him, saying, ‘Lord, help me!’ And He answered and said, ‘It is not good to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs.’ But she said, ‘Yes, Lord; but even the dogs feed on the crumbs which fall from their masters’ table.’ Then Jesus said to her, ‘O woman, your faith is great; it shall be done for you as you wish.’ And her daughter was healed at once.” Matthew 15:22-28
When I hear Jesus declaring someone’s faith to be great I want to know what made it so great because I want my faith to grow and be strong. God’s evaluation of what makes for great faith is so different than how mankind would judge it. From a human perspective, faith is usually considered great when it is accompanied by boldness, confidence, and assurance. Yet, it seems, that God is more impressed with humble, desperate faith.
[click to continue…]
by Eric Holter on March 10, 2004
“…and immediately Jesus stretched out his hand and took hold of him, and said to him, ‘O you of little faith, why did you doubt?’” Matthew 14:31
Peter started out well. He took a very bold step of faith when he went over the side of the boat in order to go to Jesus on the water. But when he saw the wind and waves he took his eyes of Jesus and began to sink. O how many days do I start off full of faith in my Lord trusting Him so confidently. Yet, so many times, by the end of the day, my mind and my heart falter, and my faith begins to sink. All I can do is cry out to Him like Peter, “Save me Lord!”
[click to continue…]
