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Tom's Note
DECEMBER 2008/JANUARY 2009
dear IPC family,
This is love: not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. - 1 John 4:10
Every year around the end of October Lauri and I start scouring iTunes for some new Christmas albums. In my house Christmas music starts playing around November 1 and doesn't stop until into the new year. For our sanity it's very important to keep the Christmas music selection fresh.
Last year we purchased a Christmas album called Christmas from the Realms of Glory by a Christian musician named Bebo Norman. Bebo is a Georgia boy (so I automatically like him), but I also appreciate his musical talent and thoughtful lyrics. On the album there is a song called “Born to Die”. From the title it's obvious the song focuses on God's Son Jesus being born in Bethlehem as a baby so He could die on a cross in Jerusalem. It may sound a bit morbid, but we cannot fully appreciate the incarnation without understanding the death and resurrection of Jesus. In other words we cannot fully understand Christmas without looking at Easter.
The chorus of “Born to Die” says, And the angels filled the sky, All of heaven wondered why, Why their King would choose to be, Be a baby born to die.
About seven years ago Bebo wrote another Christmas song called “Born to Bleed.” Its chorus says, He was born to bleed away the sin, That covers our guilty hands. Born to rise from Calvary, He was born to save every man.
The reason for the Christmas season is God's deep love for His creation. He sent His Son into the world as a baby out of love for you and me. The fullness of Christmas means God sent His son to die for our sins. 1 John 4:9-10 says, “This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.” The sweet baby Jesus born in Bethlehem was truly a baby born to bleed and die because of our sin and God's deep love.
A whole new category of love entered the world when God arrived as an infant in Bethlehem. God's love is completely unselfish and undeserved. This is seen most clearly in the birth, life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. In Jesus, God's amazing love became flesh to die for sinners like you and me. At one time we stood as God's enemies, deserving only God's wrath and judgement for our sinful actions. Yet, instead of giving us exactly what we deserve, God gave us love in the form of His one and only Son, who was punished in our place. The greatest love story of all time is God's - the story of God's amazing love for His people. The greatest love story can be yours if you embrace Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior. Jesus entered the world as an infant out of love, to die so we may live.
This Christmas as you reflect on the birth of Jesus Christ, I pray you'll also catch a glimpse of His death and resurrection. This is the only way you'll know the full meaning of Christmas.
In Him,
Tom
OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2008
dear IPC family,
When I am afraid, I will trust in you. In God, whose word I praise, in God I trust; I will not be afraid. What can mortal man do to me? - Psalm 56:3-4
When I was about seven-years-old my mom gave her life to Jesus Christ. From that moment on we listened to Christian music in the car. Music has a way of sneaking its lyrics deeply into our minds and hearts. My wife likes to say music is “soulish.” Even now as I write this letter I have a song from IPC's Evening Worship gathering playing in my mind. “God of wonders beyond our galaxy, You are holy, You are holy...” Back to the topic at hand - One song I've never forgotten from my early childhood says, “Unto thee O Lord, do I lift up my soul, unto thee O Lord, do I lift up my soul, O my God, I trust in thee, let me not be ashamed, let not my enemies triumph over me.”
Whenever I was frightened or scared as a child, I would sing this song and receive great comfort. There was something wonderful about having God watch over and protect me. The idea of trusting in God made me feel safe whatever the situation. This song even got me through the many times I was sure the boogie man was living in my closet or under my bed. This song has been with me for many years, and when I became a follower of Jesus at age 18, the full impact of this song began to penetrate my life.
Actually, this song was written thousands of years ago by a man named David, who had many reasons to be afraid. Psalm 25:1-2 of David says, “To you, O LORD, I lift up my soul; in you I trust, O my God. Do not let me be put to shame, nor let my enemies triumph over me.” David knew it was God alone who held the key to protecting him in the midst of any situation.
This past month Lauri and I took our girls to Euro Disney near Paris. We had a great time visiting with princesses, watching parades, eating too much junk food and riding the rides. Actually, Melia rode one ride quite a bit, “It's a Small World” five times. Talk about music getting into your head! For me the highlight of our Disney trip occurred while we were watching a live performance of The Lion King. Melia was sitting on my lap and whenever Scar, Simba's rotten uncle, appeared on stage Melia would grab my hand and place it over her eyes. Then she would slowly move my fingers apart so she could see what was happening through the safety of her daddy's fingers. All my daughter needed to feel safe was the hand of her daddy to protect her. This is a picture of how you and I can trust in our Heavenly Daddy. When we lift our souls to God, when we place our lives completely in the hands of our Heavenly Father, when we trust in His awesome, powerful, loving presence, no matter what rages around us, we are safe. We trust in God for who He is and what He has done.
No matter what our age, no matter how long we've walked with Christ, I pray we learn to trust more and more in our Heavenly Daddy.
In Him,
Tom
SEPEMBER 2008
dear IPC family,
But the Scripture declares that the whole world is a prisoner of sin, so that what was promised, being given through faith in Jesus Christ, might be given to those who believe. - Galatians 3:22
Lauri and I took our girls to Venice this summer. I am told Venice is one of the most romantic cities in the world. I am sure this is true, if you don't have a five-month-old and a two-year-old along for the gondola ride. We enjoyed our time in Venice and loved showing our girls the sights. Our trusty guide book told us there are around 409 bridges in Venice. It forgot to mention you can't push a stroller over any of these bridges, but despite the stroller disaster, I liked the Bridge of Sighs best because it taught me a lesson about walking with Christ.
This famous bridge is called the Bridge of Sighs because it leads directly from the interrogation rooms in the Doge's Palace to the old prison of Venice. Prisoners would “sigh” at their final view of Venice outside the bridge's windows before being taken down to their dark cells.
Some of us may confess the same sins every Sunday evening and morning. Day after day, week after week, we might confess lying, stealing, an addiction to alcohol, pornography or gossiping, with the hope of being victorious over this recurring sinful habit that's zapping our relationship with Christ and those around us. Are you a prisoner to sin?
The Bible uses the image of men and women being prisoners to sin for good reason. This is exactly what happens when we continue falling into the same sin day after day. We're imprisoned when we continue disobeying God's best for our lives.
So what is the answer? How should we deal with recurring sin in our lives? Let me give some things that have helped me along the way.
First, confess your sin to God and ask Him for forgiveness. Tell God what you're doing that dishonours Him. And remember, forgiveness comes at the price of Jesus Christ dying on the cross and being raised from the dead for our sins.
Psalm 32:5: Then I acknowledged my sin to you and did not cover up my iniquity. I said, "I will confess my transgressions to the LORD," - and you forgave the guilt of my sin.
1 John 1:9-10: If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word has no place in our lives.
Second, repent or turn away from your sins. It sounds simple, but once you confess your sins and ask forgiveness, stop sinning! To repent literally means turning 180 degrees in the other direction.
Jesus said to the woman caught in the act of adultery in John 8:10-11: Jesus straightened up and asked her, "Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?" "No one, sir," she said. "Then neither do I condemn you," Jesus declared. "Go now and leave your life of sin."
Third, commit to reading God's Word, praying and worshiping God everyday.
Psalm 119:11: I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.
Fourth, ask God daily to keep you from temptation and give you strength in the midst of temptation.
Matthew 6:13: And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.
1 Corinthians 10:13: No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.
Fifth, surround yourself with Christian friends (men for men and women for women) who you can confess your sins to and who can help deal with habitual sin.
James 5:16: Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.
Finally, know God loves you because he loves you!
1 John 4:16: And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him.
When we come to the end of ourselves, the end of trying to go it alone, when we stop trying to clean ourselves up enough for God, then God frees and transforms another prisoner from sin. Remember it's all about Jesus, His sacrifice, His strength, His love, His salvation from sin. As Paul said in 1 Timothy 1:15: Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners — of whom I am the worst.
In Him,
Tom