Inklings of the Spirit's Work

“The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit."

- Jesus to Nicodemus in John 3:8


“But many of those who had heard the word believed, and the number of the men came to about five thousand.”

- Acts 4:4


“There was scarcely a single person in the town, young or old, left unconcerned about the great things of the eternal world. Those who were wont to be the vainest and loosest, and those who had been disposed to think and speak lightly of vital and experimental religion, were now generally subject to great awakenings. And the work of conversion was carried on in a most astonishing manner, and increased more and more; souls did as it were come by flocks to Jesus Christ.”

- Jonathan Edwards, A Narrative of Surprising Conversions in Jonathan Edwards on Revival, p. 13


“My heart has been much on the advancement of Christ’s kingdom in the world. The histories of the past advancement of Christ’s Kingdom have been sweet to me. When I have read histories of past ages, the pleasantest thing in all my reading has been to read of the kingdom of Christ being promoted.”

– Jonathan Edwards, quoted in Sam Storms’, Signs of the Spirit, p. 185


When Judy and I were first married (soon 32 years ago!) I worked swing-shift driving a forklift at a large machine shop in Portland, Oregon. I worked there for almost eight years from 1975 to 1983. And when I was there a most astounding thing happened. This seemed like an unlikely place for the Spirit of God to move, but over several months time a number of men came to faith in Christ. These were rough and tumble union machinists and assemblymen. I saw union shop stewards broken by their sin and convinced of their need for a Savior. I saw born and raised Roman Catholics being converted by belief in the gospel. I saw drug abusers changed by the power of the gospel. I saw broken marriages restored. At one point we had almost 30 men meeting for bible study in a parts warehouse during our swing-shift lunch period. There were men praying for one another and counseling and encouraging one another. This was an extraordinary move of God that defies all of the machinations of church growth and revival operatives. God was pleased to visit that place at that time by His Spirit. There was no formula that we followed. The Spirit blew where He would, and men came to faith in Christ as Lord. Today I can point to men I know that have been forever changed by that work of God thirty years ago.

Last night Judy and I were with some friends and we were recounting the goodness of God in the life of COR. What we have seen in the first seven months of this church plant is nothing short of astounding. God is at work. We have no formulas to follow. We don’t have a church growth strategy mapped out, but God is at work, amazing us at every step along the way. We’re fumbling along, entirely dependent on God to bring increase and the work of the Spirit. Another friend recently sent me this link to what is happening at Mars Hill Church in Seattle http://voxpopnetwork.com/vision/2008/03/24/bath-tisms-and-other-good-news/. Please be encouraged by what you read! The Kingdom of God is being advanced. The Conquering King is vanquishing sinners’ hearts.

Would you pray with me that Spirit would be pleased to blow through COR in even greater measure? What a joy it would be to see the Kingdom advanced in our midst in greater degre, and in fact, beyond our comprehension. Pray that there would be a thoroughgoing work of the Spirit in deep repentance, a passionate love for the Savior, magnanimous love for one another, and an incomparable love for those who don’t know Jesus Christ as their Savior.

Pray that God would forgive our pretense, and that He would do what only He can do in bringing to life the hearts of dead men.

Post Tenebras Lux

"Do not be alarmed. You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He has risen; he is not here. See the place where they laid him.”

- Mark 16:6

“But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead.”

- 1 Corinthians 15:20-21

“He alone has made a solid proficiency in the gospel who has been accustomed to continual meditation on the blessed resurrection.”

- John Calvin, Institutes, III:xxv.I

“The issue (of the resurrection) is non-negotiable for Paul. The consequences of denying Christ’s resurrection are massive – for then Paul’s preaching is mistaken, their faith is vain, their sins remain unforgiven, and those who have died have perished.”
- Thomas Schreiner, Paul, Apostle of God’s Glory in Christ, p. 457

“The resurrection of Christ is the beginning of the new and final world-order, an order described as spiritual and heavenly. It is the dawn of the new creation the start of the eschatological age. In terms of the conceptual framework with which Paul views the whole of history, it is the commencement of the ‘age to come.’”

- Richard Gaffin, Resurrection and Redemption, pps. 89-90

“Post Tenebras Lux” has often been used as the motto for the Protestant Reformation. In Latin it simply means, “After darkness, light”. It has also been used during the Easter season in association with Good Friday. Even today some Lutheran churches have Good Friday services that they describe as a ‘Tenebras’ service, where reflection is made upon sin that brought darkness. Then the following Easter Sunday is described as “Lux” or light. For the Christian the resurrection is that historically glorious and momentous event when the spell-bound darkness is finally broken by light. The curse is reversed.

In the comprehensiveness of Christ’s redemptive act Puritan John Owen called it the ‘death of death’, and John Calvin called the resurrection, “…the most important article of our faith”(John II:247). The resurrection is no small appendage to our theological understanding. It is pivotal. Without the historical and bodily resurrection of Christ we are left without hope, we remain in our sins, our faith is in vain, and those who die face immediate corruption and finality. Many churches that call themselves Christian emphasize the cross and deny the resurrection. For them it is much easier to believe Jesus was crucified, than that He was resurrected. The historical and corporeal (bodily) resurrection is too much for them. How glad I am for the Resurrection. In it Jesus has became the first to conquer death, sin, hell and the grave, and in His resurrection we are guaranteed the same. And if that weren’t enough, the resurrected and ascended Christ has bestowed the greatest of all gifts to His church in the giving of the Spirit (Acts 2:31-33 and Eph. 4:8).

The Resurrection is the light after the darkness of the Cross. May we truly comprehend what has been done, and then rejoice in the resurrection of our Savior.

God Speaking

“But this is the one to whom I will look: he who is humble and contrite in spirit and trembles at my word.”

– Isaiah 66:2

“Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.”

– Psalm 119:105

“Whatsoever the Divine Scripture says is the voice of the Holy Spirit.”

- Gregory of Nyssa (c. 372 AD)

“Therefore we yield to and agree to the authority of the Holy Scripture which can neither be deceived nor deceive.”

- Augustine of Hippo (c. 430 AD)

“The Bible teaches what we are to believe about God and our relation to Him, and it also reveals what is His will.”

- E.J. Young, Thy Word is Truth, p. 31

“Christian theology can only claim truth and authority in so far as it conforms to God’s self-revelation.”

- Mark Thompson, A Clear and Present Word, p. 52


Last week I had an email discussion with someone regarding hearing God’s voice. The discussion centered around how God’s voice is heard. For this person they were absolutely sure that God had spoken to them in giving them direction to leave a church. There was no debating it or no possibility that they could be wrong. It didn’t seem to matter that the direction given by God’s “voice” made no sense and was made outside of the counsel of Scripture. In fact, for this person, the logical and biblical inconsistency in it was a sign that it must indeed be God’s voice, because, after all, “God’s ways are not our ways.” It didn’t seem to matter that the Scriptures plainly teach that their direction was wrong. They had been attending a Bible-believing church, there were people that cared for them there, and there existed an accountability framework around them in which they could grow. It didn’t seem to matter that there were trusted and caring voices around them pleading for them to reconsider. What mattered was that they had heard from God, and they must obey.

Earlier last week and prior to this email discussion I found myself thanking God for His Word. I had read a chapter in a book that made my soul soar with thankfulness at the objective truth found in the Scriptures. I am glad we have a sure foundation in the Word of God. Simply spoken, I cannot be trusted to be the sole interpreter of God’s will and direction. The Holy Spirit works in and through the Scriptures. I am not wise enough, smart enough, or spiritual enough to discern God’s leading without the Scriptures. They are a wonderful and safe boundary for my interpretation of God’s will. In fact, they interpret God’s will for me. With the illuminating work of the Holy Spirit, the Scriptures alone will make me wise unto salvation (2 Tim. 3:15). I must be constantly aware that if I’m to be a humble man I must submit myself to the Word of God, and to the wise and godly counsel of those around me. In our day there seems to be a desire to “hear” God’s voice, but a lot less desire for the objective Word of God. We may not admit it, but we want God’s will our way and the Scriptures only impede our freedom. We want to be the unchallenged discerners of God’s ‘mysterious’ will, without the counsel and criteria of the expressed will of God in the Scriptures. This is very dangerous ground indeed.

A few months back I read this article on the Desiring God web site and I wanted to commend it to you. It is quite good and encapsulates this biblical perspective I’m speaking of. If you have an opportunity I hope you will read it.
http://www.desiringgod.org/ResourceLibrary/TasteAndSee/ByDate/2007/2021_The_Morning_I_Heard_the_Voice_of_God/
At Christ Our Redeemer Church God’s Word must be the voice of God that we hear. We will end up in all sorts of confusion and error otherwise. Last week a revival began in my heart for the Word of God and this morning as I read devotionally I couldn’t wait to read more and hear God’s voice speaking. As I’ve prayed for you, as members of Christ Our Redeemer Church, I’ve begun to pray that you would love God’s Word more, and that you would hear His voice speaking clearly to you in the Scriptures.

With great affection for the God of the Scriptures.

God's Garden

“Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies it bears much fruit.”

– Jesus in John 12:24

“Bear fruit in keeping with repentance.”

– John the Baptist in Matthew 3:8

“The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me, because the LORD has anointed me to bring good news to the poor; he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound; to proclaim the year of the LORD's favor, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all who mourn; to grant to those who mourn in Zion - to give them a beautiful headdress instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, the garment of praise instead of a faint spirit; that they may be called oaks of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he may be glorified.”

– The Prophet Isaiah speaking of the Messiah to come in Isaiah 61:1-3

“You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide….”

-Jesus in John 15:16

“Christ values his saints above all others. All the world is nothing to him in comparison with his saints. They are his garden. The rest of the world is a dry desert.”

- Puritan John Owen in, Communion with God, p. 110


Today is a beautiful day in the Northwest and I’m glad for the not-so-subtle reminders of the coming of Spring. There are buds on the willow trees outside our window and the crocus’ have pushed their heads up through the ground. It won’t be long and Judy and mom will be making plans for planting a garden.

Monday morning I woke up thinking about the passage from John 12 where Jesus talks about a grain of wheat falling to the earth and dying and then bringing forth much fruit. That got me thinking about God’s garden. It’s no coincidence that gardens are a theme throughout Scripture. Creation begins with a garden (Genesis 2:8), when they sin Adam and Eve are exiled from a garden (Genesis 3:24), the crucifixion begins in a garden (Mark 14:32) and ends in a garden (John 19:41) and Christ’s redemptive work places His people forever in a garden (Revelation 2:7). Because of Jesus’ life, death, burial, resurrection and ascension the grain of wheat has fallen to the ground and died and its (His) purpose is to bear much fruit. God’s intention is that the seed that has died should not remain unfruitful or alone. Because of the efficacious work of Christ’s substitutionary death and His subsequent resurrection new life has come to the believer. A new seed is planted within the Christian. God’s garden is doing what gardens are intended to do – bear fruit.

A few weeks ago when we looked at the parable of the unfruitful fig tree (Luke 13) I was struck by the language Jesus used. Fig trees are to bear fruit and similarly Christians are to live fruitful lives. A Christian without fruit is like a garden that does not produce. It is a contradiction in terms. This is sobering and ought to move us to be thinking about what it truly means to be a Christian. Make no mistake, the death and resurrection of Christ is the fertile soil in which Christian fruit-bearing takes place. As sure as Christ has died and rose again God’s garden will produce the delicious fruit of regeneration and sanctification in His people. Dear friends, think about this, we are God’s garden.