by Eric Holter on April 5, 2007
“Convinced of this, I know that I will remain and continue with you all for your progress and joy in the faith…” Philippians 1:25
In Ecclesiastes, Solomon bemoans the futility of man’s attempts to “make progress”” during his days under the sun. Whatever “progress” I may attain in my life, for my generation, will eventually be undone. A new discovery or significant contribution will be forgotten over time or replaced by a newer one. That’s not to say that God does not intend for mankind to make progress. Quite the opposite, He has commanded us to progress–to subdue the earth and multiply in it.
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by Eric Holter on June 10, 2006
“So you too, when you do all the things which are commanded you, say, ‘We are unworthy slaves; we have done only that which we ought to have done.’”
Luke 17:10
The context for this exhortation toward unassuming, obligatory service is Jesus’ command to forgive – even the same person seven times in the same day. Because I am forgiven so much and so often, withholding forgiveness or presuming that my forgiving is a big deal is laughable. When I forgive it’s no great shakes – I’m only fulfilling my most basic obligation as a forgiven sinner.
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by Eric Holter on March 10, 2006
“But I have a baptism to undergo, and how distressed I am until it is accomplished!”
Luke 12:50
How good it is to come out the other side of a trial. Trials are painful, but they accomplish a good purpose. But going through them is no fun. All trials are designed to produce a fruitful harvest of righteousness and they always ultimately improve our lives and increase our joy. How good it is to enjoy the fruit of righteousness which has been born of an accomplished and completed trial.
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by Eric Holter on February 10, 2005
“My son, eat honey, for it is good,
Yes, the honey from the comb is sweet to your taste;
Know that wisdom is thus for your soul;
If you find it, then there will be a future,
And your hope will not be cut off.”
Proverbs 24:13
This year my wife discovered and introduced me to at a terrific show on the Food Network called “Good Eats” It’s a cooking show. It’s informative and instructional like other cooking shows but it is so much better because its host, Alton Brown, provides extremely interesting historical and scientific information about the process of cooking. On top of that, the show is very entertaining, fun, silly, and captivating.
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by Eric Holter on September 15, 2004
“Give heed to my cry, for I am brought very low.”
Psalms 142:6
David’s spirit was overwhelmed and had fainted within him. His emotional stress was unavoidable since his life was threatened by enemies who sought to kill him, and they had the upper hand. David’s emotions did not run opposite to his circumstances. As a result he was troubled, he complained, and felt trapped. He felt weak and imprisoned. David’s piety however is that in such a low state he sought the Lord. He did not just cry; he cried to the Lord. He did not just pour out complaint; he poured out his complaint to the Lord. He did not just declare his troubles; he declared his troubles before the Lord.
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by Eric Holter on August 20, 2004
“… and with Him is abundant redemption.”
Psalms 130:7
Not just redemption – though that would be more than I deserve, but abundant redemption. This redemption is so abundant that it delivers us, and then adds to deliverance an unimaginable inheritance. Lord, I’m so glad that you did not just save me and then leave me to myself, but that you saved me and granted to me a rich inheritance in Christ. Lord please help me to recognize and appreciate those parts of my inheritance that have been given to me now; forgiveness, freedom from sin, power from your Spirit, gifts to serve and glorify your grace, love and fellowship with the saints, promises that ensure that all things will work together for my good, inexpressible joy even in the midst of trials and sorrows, and so much more.
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by Eric Holter on August 15, 2004
“How blessed is everyone who fears the Lord,
Who walks in his ways.
When you shall eat the of the fruit of your hands,
You will be happy and it will be well with you. ”
Psalms 128:1-2
God is the ultimate spice! When my ultimate intention and goal in life is to fear God and walk in His ways, His abundant blessings extend even to such simple things as increasing the enjoyment of eating food. In other words, a true engagement with the living God takes simple things like eating food and multiplies their enjoyment so that they become both richer and happier experiences in themselves – but also, and more importantly, they increase our enjoyment and deepen our delight in God Himself.
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by Eric Holter on August 10, 2004
“When the LORD brought back the captive ones of Zion,
We were like those who dream.
Then our mouth was filled with laughter,
And our tongue with joyful shouting;
Then they said among the nations,
“The LORD has done great things for them.”
The LORD has done great things for us;
We are glad.”
Psalms 126:1-3
Jesus said, “he who sins is a slave to sin.” The apostle Paul tells us that in Christ “our old self was crucified with Him that our body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin; for he who has died is freed from sin.”
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by Eric Holter on August 5, 2004
“…And the fast of the … months will become joy, gladness, and cheerful feasts…”
Zechariah 8:19
John’s disciples asked Jesus one day why His disciples did not fast. In essence Jesus’ answer was that while He was with them the feast was at hand – it’s ludicrous to fast when a feast is at hand. But Jesus knew that He was going to His father and that this temporary season of feasting would end for his disciples and that yes – then, they would fast.
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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?
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