Guest Writer

Do You Really Know God?
A Review of “Knowing God” by J.I. Packer
 

Do you really know God? Most reading this article will immediately answer “yes” without giving this question much thought. You might be thinking “of course I know God” and follow that with some thoughts about Him. For example, He is the Creator of Heaven and Earth. He spoke to Moses as a burning bush. He sent Jesus to die on the cross.

Certainly those are true statements about God, and they are also what I would call surface level statements. Imagine a group of friends reuniting for the first time a few years after high school. One says she has been dating a great guy, and they are getting pretty serious—in fact she thinks he may soon propose. Her friends are ecstatic and want to know all about him. The girl starts listing things about him: he’s from Michigan, he’s 26, he is a construction worker. But her friends want to know what he is really like. She responds with more of the same: he has a younger sister, brown hair, hazel eyes, and drives some kind of blue car.

At this point the girl has shown she knows information or facts about her suitor, but does she really know him? That is the issue J. I. Packer attacks in his book Knowing God. Packer says that “one can know a great deal about God without much knowledge of Him.” We can read about God, memorize scripture, even lead a Bible study. However, all those things may lead us to know a lot about God without really knowing Him.

Packer furthers this thought by stating “one can know a great deal about godliness without much knowledge of God.” Again, we can get insight into godliness from merely reading scripture and books, listening to sermons, attending small groups, etc. To Packer’s point, we can easily build our knowledge about God without truly knowing Him. What does it look like to really know God? Packer relies on the familiar characters in the book of Daniel—Daniel himself, along with Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego—to make four points that illustrate what knowing God looks like. These are actionable things we can do to help us know God.

Point One: Those who know God have great energy for God. In other words, our action for God and our reaction toward anti-God movements, can give clear indications of knowing God. Conversely, a lack of action or a lack of reaction in those same situations may give indications of not knowing Him. Daniel and his friends knew God and displayed this with great energy. For example, pause and read Daniel 1:8-16. In this passage we read that Daniel refused to risk eating food considered unclean. Read Dan 3:1-15. Here we read how Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego refused to bow and worship a golden image despite the threat of death for refusal. Finally, read Dan 6:6-10. Here we read how Daniel continued to pray despite strict forbiddance. In each of these situations we see people who definitely had great energy for God evidenced by their actions for God and their refusals to act against God. They were not being obstinate or argumentative just to bring attention to themselves or because they enjoyed causing disruption by going against the masses. They were called to do something—their great energy for God led them to a call for action.

Point Two: Those who know God have great thoughts of God. The Bible is filled with descriptions of God’s greatness displayed through examples of His sovereignty, love, grace, mercy, power, wrath, patience, and more. We use words like omniscient, omnipresent, all-knowing, and unchanging. But when we are hearing a sermon, in a small group, or simply reading His word, do we really see and reflect on His greatness?

The book of Daniel is certainly filled with multiple examples of His greatness on display. But when we read His word, do we really reflect on His greatness? Do we have great thoughts of His sovereignty, love, grace, mercy, power, wrath, and patience? Packer states the Book of Daniel “as a whole forms a dramatic reminder that the God of Israel is the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords” and that “God’s hand is on history at every point, that history, indeed is no more than ‘His story,’ the unfolding of His eternal plan, and that the kingdom which will triumph in the end is God’s.”

For one example, read Daniel 9:1-19. Here we see Daniel praying for his people. In v3 Daniel describes how he turned his face to the Lord God and in v4, he exclaimed how great and awesome God is, remembering His covenant and steadfast love for us. 

Point Three: Those who know God have great boldness for God. Of the four points that Packer makes, this one may be the most outwardly visible. There are many secular and un-Godly pressures Christians face today. Pressures to approve of abortion, transgenderism, homosexuality, and other positions that go against God’s word. Society says to do what feels right to you and that truth is whatever you make it to be.

Taking a stance takes boldness. Peter and the Apostles stated in Acts 5: 29 that “We must obey God rather than men.” Daniel and his friends displayed this boldness for God several times, and one of the best-known examples of that is of the fiery furnace. Pause and read Daniel 3. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego knew the consequences of disobeying the order to worship Nebuchadnezzar’s golden image—the fiery furnace. However, what did they do? Cower in fear? Beg for mercy? Capitulate their beliefs? No! They boldly stood their ground despite the consequences. They simply obeyed God’s word and washed their hands of the consequences. Those who truly know God stand with great boldness for Him.

Point Four: Those who know God have great contentment in God. Packer states “there is no peace like the peace of those whose minds are possessed with the full assurance that they have known God, and that God has known them.” This is the contented peace that the imprisoned Paul stated “surpasses all understanding” (4:7). Even from prison, Paul was content.

Again, let’s turn to Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego as they faced the fiery furnace. They displayed great boldness as described earlier and were 100% content as they stood their ground. Their response in Dan 3:16-18 displays their contentment perfectly. “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered and said to the king, ‘O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter. If this be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of your hand, O king. But if not, be it known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up.'”

This example summarizes the four points Packer makes. They easily stood their ground in faith (great energy), believed their God was great enough to deliver them from the furnace (great thoughts), obeyed and washed their hands of the consequences (great boldness), and were at peace with whatever the outcome (great contentment).

Packer challenges us to continuously increase this kind of knowledge of God. To increase our knowledge of God requires that we first admit we lack knowledge of God. If you ask any great theologian who truly knows God, they will likely say “I need to know Him better.” To increase our knowledge of God, we have to give ourselves completely to Him. Christ tells us that we “shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength” (Mark 12:30).

Knowing Him therefore becomes a personal matter. Throughout the Bible God is exclaiming he knows His people by name (Exodus 33:17, Jeremiah 1:5, and John 10:14-15). He definitely knows us … how well do you really know Him?
 
Your brother in Christ,
Joe Holmes

Victorious Christians You Should Know: Corrie Ten Boom
A Book Review of The Hiding Place
           

The Hiding Place is a thrilling account of the lives of the Ten Booms and their perseverance through the horrors of World War II. Corrie Ten Boom and her siblings, Betsie, Willem, and Nollie were born into a faithful Christian family. Their father, Casper, forged the character of his children from the beginning of their lives.
           
Casper was a respected watchmaker in Holland, Netherlands. Although Casper was one of the best watchmakers in all the Netherlands, his inept business skills caused the Ten Booms to live in poverty for much of their lives. Despite the Ten Booms’ poverty, their home and business were always open to foster children and those in need. The watch shop was on the main floor of the Ten Boom’s home and was called the “Beje” (Bay-yay).
           
One day, Corrie’s mother had a terrible stroke and was unable to live life as she had before. Corrie’s mother’s infirmity caused her father to take on the role of caretaker and Corrie assumed more responsibility of the watch business. Corrie found that she enjoyed the business of watchmaking and helped the business flourish. Corrie eventually became the first woman certified in watchmaking in the Netherlands.
           
The account of what sounds like a mundane, ordinary life contains snippets of spiritual gold poured out from Corrie’s parents and siblings. Quotes from father Ten Boom such as “And our wise Father in heaven knows when we’re going to need things, too. Don’t run out ahead of Him, Corrie. When the time comes that some of us will have to die, you will look into your heart and find strength you need—just in time” played a key role in preparing Corrie and her siblings to face death in prison and a concentration camp.
           
Life in Holland continued as normal, despite the growing darkness of Nazi ideology capturing the minds of their German neighbors. Willem wrote his doctoral thesis on the dehumanizing philosophy of the Nazi Germans. Willem was described by his sister as a sober man, always ready to tell the harsh truth. His doctoral thesis would be the next thing that God used to prepare the quiet Holland family for what came next.
 
One ordinary evening after the Ten Booms’ Bible reading and prayer, “the voice of a demon,” as described by Betsie, came blaring through the family radio. This was the voice of Adolf Hitler. It wasn’t long until they were confronted with the evil of Nazism face to face in the new watchmaking apprentice, Otto. He was a true German National Socialist, declaring that he would go back to Germany and outshine the Dutch watchmakers. Not only did Otto believe that the Germans would be the supreme watchmakers, but also he, along with the rest of the Nazis, believed Germans to be the supreme race. It was the ideology of German supremacy that fueled the hatred and extermination of Jews and others whom the Nazis deemed as inferior.
           
Not long after this encounter with Otto, Germany invaded the Netherlands. The bustling streets of Harlem became overrun with German soldiers. Jews were forced to wear the yellow Star of David with the inscription “Jood” on the outside of their clothing. At first, the classification of Jews was simply a way to shame them and divide them from the rest of society. This persecution of the Jewish people quickly grew into unprovoked violence, harassment, and eventually the abduction and extermination of anyone who wore the Star of David.
           
The horrid treatment of God’s people inspired the Ten Booms to open their hearts to their Jewish neighbors, first by praying to God for them. They prayed that God would allow them to serve their Jewish neighbors and vowed to help anyone who came to their door. This prayer eventually caused God to open unimaginable doors. This simple Christian family and the Beje became the center of the underground network for aiding and hiding Jews from being abducted and shipped to concentration camps by the Nazi occupants.
           
As the Ten Booms grew in their faithfulness to this mission, the Nazi Gestapo eventually learned of what was happening at the Beje. One day, they were greeted by a Dutch man who begged for money to free his wife from prison. Fulfilling her vow to help anyone who came to her door, Corrie handed over the money.  This man would go on to betray the Ten Booms to the German soldiers. One dark night when Corrie was suffering from influenza, the Nazis raided the Beje. At the time, there were eight Jews harbored at the Beje. Although the soldiers did not find the Jews safe in the hiding place, the entire family was arrested and hauled off to a prison called Scheveningen. Corrie’s father only lasted ten days in this prison before he died.
           
After a lengthy time of solitary confinement in Scheveningen, Corrie was reunited with her sister, Betsie. Her two other siblings had already been released. The great test for the two single sisters was just about to begin. They were released from Scheveningen and shipped out to Ravensbrück, an extermination camp. When they first arrived, they were ordered to strip naked before male and female guards. Miraculously, the guards did not find the pocket-sized Bible that they had been carrying with them on their journey.
           
The time at Ravensbrück was filled with unspeakable horrors. Firing squads lined up husbands within earshot of their wives. Women were taken, at random, to the gas chambers not knowing if they were going to the showers or to their death. The women were burdened with back-breaking labor, and those who could not meet their quota were savagely beaten or exterminated. This sad providence became true of Betsie, who was singled out and beaten for being unable to meet her quota.  In her last days, during one of their weekly nude searches, Corrie whispered, “They took Jesus’ garments.”  Betsie responded, “Oh Corrie. And I never thanked him.”  Throughout their time at Ravensbrück, the two sisters unceasingly witnessed and gave thanks for the opportunity to suffer and bear witness for Christ. They attributed their joy to the cross of Christ.
 
Before Betsie succumbed to malnourishment and her wounds, she had a vision that they would be released before the New Year, that they would get a mansion that would serve the purpose of rehabilitating those traumatized by war and concentration camps, and that they would restore an old German concentration camp as a way to show the Germans their forgiveness and extend their hands to help rebuild the country that was responsible for their suffering!
           
Not long after Betsie shared this vision, she entered the arms of her Father in heaven. Although Betsie never saw the promise with her eyes, Corrie did. Corrie was released from Ravensbrück a week before all the women her age were exterminated in gas chambers. Corrie later discovered that she was released on a clerical error, but attributed this release to the providence of God so she could fulfill her life’s purpose. After forgiving her betrayer and the guard who beat her sister, Corrie would travel to 61 countries proclaiming the gospel and her family’s heroic story of faith and forgiveness to anyone who would listen.
           
May we continue to live our lives faithfully, be quick to forgive, and be confident that the Lord will sustain us through any suffering that may come into our lives.

Your brother in Christ,
Jacob Foster

Nigeria and Rwanda Updates  Hello Redeemer,  I bring you greetings from the body of Christ in Africa.  Pastor Timothy Nwan from Mangu, Nigeria and Pastor Fidele from Gisenyi, Rwanda have each asked that I express their gratitude and give you a report of the things being done by the hand of our great God and King, through the means and generosity of His church. Nigeria As you know, Nigeria has suffered from rampant acts of violence for many years motivated by religion, tribalism, land disputes and government inaction.  Most recently, in 2023, villages in the Plateau State were attacked on multiple occasions killing hundreds and displacing thousands.  Redeemer learned of these acts and the subsequent effects through many God ordained connections.  After traveling to Nigeria and meeting with Pastor Timothy, the elders of both Redeemer Stafford and Redeemer Spotsy agreed to partner with him and others to provide assistance to the fellow believers in the region.

Through your generosity, we have been able to coordinate and provide food to thousands of displaced people. There is enough food to last several months until they can return to their land.

Among the many items we gave to Timothy and his people, were t-shirts. We brought as many shirts as we could carry.  These shirts were donated by friends of Justin and Molly from Live 2540, a Christian organization that provides free health care to children in West Africa.

Upon returning to the US, we continued our conversation with Timothy and learned that the displaced people were sleeping on the ground and were exposed to a malevolent little worm which resulted in significant illness to the people. To combat this, funds were provided which allowed for the purchase of 670 mattresses and blankets.  In the coming days we will be helping those who had their homes destroyed by the attacks rebuild.

Most recently, after the immediate physical needs of the people had been met, we wanted to turn to their spiritual needs.  The vast majority of people in the area do not have a Bible or a worship songbook of their own. Last week, you helped Timothy and others purchase 800 of each for the believers in the area.  Once collected, he will distribute them.     Rwanda Additionally, our brothers and sisters in Rwanda, whom we have known and partnered with for several years, have experienced significant destruction due to flooding and damaging rains.  Some of your contributions to the benevolence fund will be utilized to assist in helping members of Pastor Fidele’s church rebuild.       While the efforts to provide for the needs of our fellow believers and show love to those with whom we will spend eternity is of great importance, I want you to know that God has done what only God can do and has brought souls to Christ by empowering Timothy and Fidele to be out in their communities displaying the love of Christ.  We have heard stories of Muslim men, belonging to the same groups who committed the attacks on Christmas Day, hearing and responding to the gospel in repentance and faith.     Most of the time you do not get the opportunity to see how your gifts to the benevolence fund are turned into expressions of love and grace.  I speak for the elders, deacons, and ministry leaders throughout the church when I say thank you for your generosity and desire to see the body of Christ cared for by its own.   However, as in all things, the glory goes to our mighty King who sits on His throne and yet loves His own enough to care for their every need.   Clay Hicks Redeemer Spotsy Elder

Victorious Christians You Should Know!
George Whitefield
 
By Chris Lonzo
 
Dallimore, A. A. (1990). George Whitefield; God’s Anointed Servant in the Great Revival of the Eighteenth Century. Wheaton, Illinois: Crossway.
 

George Whitefield is one of the most influential evangelists of all time. His ability to preach the Gospel led many to Christ in England and Colonial America, but not without adversity and controversy. Arnold Dallimore describes Whitefield as “the greatest evangelist since the Apostle Paul.” From an early age, he was called to the service of the Lord, leading to an education at Oxford and ordination within the Church of England as a deacon by age 20. Whitefield was affiliated with John Wesley and Charles Wesley, who were credited with founding the Methodist Church. Whitefield preached to thousands in the open-air amidst much disdain and controversy. He completed thirteen trans-Atlantic crossings, maintaining his ministry in England while on missions to Colonial America. George Whitefield contributed to the “Great Awakening” in England and Colonial America. His influence spanned among the commoners and aristocracy of England, and he was revered throughout the American Colonies. Whitefield’s life ended as humbly as it began, but his influence and commitment to spreading the Gospel with “zeal” was nothing short of spectacular. 
           
George Whitefield was born in Gloucester, Great Britain in 1714. He was born and lived in the Bell Inn, a prominent establishment that his parents, Thomas and Elizabeth, ran. George lost his father at the age of two and helped his mother run the inn through his teenage years. Whitefield discovered his passion for preaching during adolescence but remained committed to helping run the inn through its degradation as he waited to attend college. George entered Pembroke College at Oxford University in 1732. He devoted his life to godliness and pursuing higher learning. To pay his tuition, her worked as an errand boy (servitor) for the students. While at Oxford, he was part of the Holy Club alongside Charles Wesley. George was a fiercely disciplined and devoted theology student to the extent that it affected his health. Upon graduation from Oxford, Whitefield pursued Christian ministry. 
           
Whitefield was ordained within the Church of England shortly after he graduated from Oxford in 1736. He sought to pursue graduate studies at Oxford, determined “to be first a saint and then a scholar at Oxford.” While he had financial support, George decided to preach instead of continuing his graduate studies at Oxford. Whitefield preached throughout London and Bristol, beginning to draw large crowds by the thousands. His preaching was said to have “virtually startled the nation.” Whitefield preached up to nine times a week, reaching the aristocracy of London and the common people. He began to publish sermons and letters in addition to his exhaustive preaching schedule. In 1737, after a year of aggressive preaching and writing, Whitefield encountered harsh criticism and opposition. While the opposition against him developed, he departed for Georgia, a trip he intended to take the prior year. 
           
Whitefield departed for America as his friend John Wesley returned from Georgia on a tumultuous and challenging trip. While underway, across the Atlantic, Whitefield ministered to all aboard the Whitaker. He led Bible studies and worship services, and became the ship’s chaplain. His efforts profoundly and positively impacted all aboard throughout the four-month journey. Upon landing in Georgia, Whitefield captivated the people and gained great affection. He was the first exposure to evangelical Christianity for most of those he encountered. Whitefield concluded his ministry five months after landing in Georgia, enduring a long and frightening return to England during the winter of 1738. 
           
Upon returning to England after his first missionary trip, Whitefield reunited with the Wesley’s and attained ordination as a priest within the Church of England. However, opposition to Whitefield grew while he was absent. Nine of prominent sermons were published and circulated throughout England, maintaining high admiration among his devoted followers. Whitefield’s sermon on the “New Birth” became a critical text for the Methodist movement. He soon re-engaged in preaching throughout England, Bristol, and Gloucester, taking to the “open-air,” and preaching the Gospel to thousands of people. Whitefield continued his tireless preaching and writing while leading Charles Wesley into open-air ministry. 
           
Whitefield returned to Colonial America, where he preached throughout New England and back down to Georgia from 1739-1740. He played a significant part in the “Great Awakening,” preaching hundreds of times to thousands of people, reaching enslaved people, commoners, and highly influential leaders. Benjamin Franklin, a religious skeptic, became a friend of Whitefield’s and his publisher. Whitefield’s work included an orphanage ministry in Colonial America while also tending to his “Orphan House” back in England. Whitefield continued to influence thousands toward salivation, as he held the doctrine of Calvinism central to his preaching. He stated that he embraced the scheme of Calvinism, writing: “not because Calvin, but because Jesus Christ taught it to me.” As Whitefield stayed fiercely true to the word of God and his methods of preaching, opposition stirred between him and John Wesley. 
           
Whitefield returned to England after completing stops in Wales and Scotland. Upon returning home, he married Elizabeth James and started a family, losing his only son, four years old, to illness. His preaching continued throughout England, and he was appointed as a moderator “for life” of “The Calvinistic Methodist Association.” Fierce public opposition to the Methodist movement led to Whitefield being accused of fanaticism and his attempted murder in 1744. He left for Colonial America again to continue his work, stopping in Bermuda on his return trip to England. In 1748, he arrived home and engaged in conference with James Wesley, Charles Wesley, and Howell Harris over their cooperation with the now two branches of the Methodist movement. Seeing no compromise, Whitefield conceded his position as the head of Calvinistic Methodism. Whitefield then endeavored to be “the servant of all,” saying, “Let my name die everywhere, let even my friends forget me if by that means the cause of the blessed Jesus may be promoted.” 
           
Whitefield continued his exhaustive preaching throughout England, remaining loyal to the Church of England. Opposition, controversy, and false rumors followed Whitefield around England as he faithfully preached to all walks of life. He completed three more trips to Colonial America while maintaining his ministry at home. His wife Elizabeth died in 1768, after which he left on his final trip to the Colonies. Whitefield arrived in Charleston, then traveled to Philadelphia, New Hampshire, and finally Massachusetts. In September of 1770, in Newburyport, Massachusetts, he died peacefully after struggling through his final preaching schedule throughout the Colonies. 

George Whitefield was a devout servant of the Lord through adversity and controversy. He dedicated his life to Christ and was committed to the salvation of others. His life is a testament to fierce devotion to the Gospel through discipline, purity, commitment, sacrifice, and teaching of sound doctrine. Whitefield influenced the lives of tens of thousands across two continents, stirring a movement that endures today. When committing ourselves to the work of the Lord, He reminds us to be “weary in thy work, but not weary of it.” 

Review of the book, Knowing God, by J.I. Packer

Knowing God, written by J.I. Packer was published in 1973. J.I. Packer was a professor of historical and systematic theology at Regent College in Vancouver, Canada. This book challenges me to consider the depth of my knowledge of God and encourages me to focus on knowing God more, not just knowing more about God. It is divided into three sections as follows: Section 1 – Know the Lord; Section 2 – Behold Your God; Section 3 – If God Be For Us. In this review, I plan to focus on Section 1.

The conviction of the book is that the church’s weakness is a result of ignorance of God – ignorance of His ways and the practice of communion with Him. If this is true, and I believe it is, what caused this? First, Packer states that Christian minds have been conformed to the “modern spirit.” We have great thoughts of man which leaves little room for only small thoughts of God. Additionally, he states that Christian minds have been confused by the “modern skepticism.” The Bible is under attack. The foundations of faith in God are questioned resulting in confusion and uncertainty about God.

While reading Knowing God, one is awakened to good news. We do not need to remain ignorant of God. We can grow in our relationship with Him and know Him deeper. The book issues the invitation found in Jeremiah 6:16 – “Thus says the Lord, ‘Stand by the ways and see and ask for the ancient paths, where the good way is, and walk in it; And you will find rest for your souls.’” This verse ends with the following sober sentence: “But they said, ‘We will not walk in it.’” As a result of not walking in God’s ways, God brought disaster on this people (Jeremiah 6:19). The good news is that we can know God, know His heart, His ways, His commands, His laws and begin, or continue, to ‘walk in it.’ The book, Knowing God, provides encouragement and a pathway to move from knowing much about God, to a closer relationship of knowing Him.

J.I. Packer opens the book with reference to a sermon given in January 1855 by the then 21-year-old Charles Spurgeon. In his sermon, Spurgeon states that there is something “improving to the mind” in a study and contemplation of God. Packer states that “it is the most practical project anyone can engage in.” Without the study of God Packer states that, “you sentence yourself to stumble and blunder through life blindfolded, as it were, with no sense of direction and no understanding of what surrounds you. This way you can waste your life and lose your soul.”

How do we start? Packer suggests five basic truths of the knowledge about God to help establish our course. They are as follows: 1) God has spoken to man, and the Bible is His Word, given to us to make us wise unto salvation; 2) God is Lord and King over His world; 3) God is Savior, active in sovereign love through the Lord Jesus Christ to rescue believers from the guilt and power of sin, to adopt them as His sons, and to bless them accordingly; 4) God is Triune; within the Godhead there are three persons, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. All three work together: the Father purposing redemption, the Son securing it, and the Spirit applying it. 5) Godliness means responding to God’s revelation. We are to live life in light of God’s Word.

With these five truths, Packer suggests we can turn knowledge about God into knowledge of God. How? By turning each truth that we learn about God into matter for meditation before God – leading to prayer and praise to God. Meditation, according to Packer, “is the activity of calling to mind, and thinking over, and dwelling on, and applying to oneself, the various things that one knows about the works and ways and purposes and promises of God. It is the activity of holy thought, consciously performed in the presence of God, under the eye of God, by the help of God, as a means of communion with God.” The purpose of meditation is to allow God’s truth to impact our mind and heart.

As I stated in the first paragraph, the book challenges me to understand that there is a difference between knowing about God and knowing God. Packer suggests that we recognize how much we lack knowledge of God and ask Him to show us how “impoverished” we are. It seems to me that this process of asking God to show me what I am lacking, how impoverished I am, is a worthy task. It may be frightening at times, yet I believe it will be rewarding. With this in mind, I am beginning to peel back layers in my life and am asking God to uncover what He wants uncovered and to lead me in the way He wants me to go.

Chapter 3, entitled “Knowing and Being Known,” is a wonderful testimony of how we can know God and have a close relationship with Him. A fascinating account is provided in this chapter about the building of a relationship. When building a relationship with another human being, often someone will not show everybody what is on their heart. The quality of our knowledge about another person depends on them more than us. Imagine being introduced to someone we consider above us in some way and the person takes us into his confidence, tells us what is on his mind, and invites us to join him in his undertakings, and asks us to be permanently available whenever he needs us. We will feel privileged. This is an illustration of what it means to know God.

What does knowing God involve? This section gives us four pointers. “First, listening to God’s word and receiving it as the Holy Spirit interprets it, in application to oneself; second, noting God’s nature and character, as His word and works reveal it; third, accepting His invitations, and doing what He commands; fourth, recognizing and rejoicing in, the love that He has shown in thus approaching and drawing one into this divine fellowship.”

Knowing God highlights the fact that it is important to understand that we know God through knowing Jesus Christ, who is God manifest in the flesh. When the Bible tells us that Jesus is risen, this means that anyone can enjoy a relationship with Him, much like His disciples. The difference is that His presence with the Christian is spiritual not physical. Also, Jesus speaks to us today by, “applying to our consciences those words of His that are recorded in the gospels, together with the rest of the biblical testimony to Himself.”

Packer suggests that knowing God is a matter of “personal dealing.” “It is a matter of dealing with Him as He opens up to you, and being dealt with by Him as He takes knowledge of you.” It is also a matter of “personal involvement.” To get to know someone you must commit yourself to that person. It is this way in a relationship with God. Knowing God is also a matter of “grace.” God initiates and makes friends with us. In Galatians 4:9 Paul states, “But now that you have come to know God, or rather to be known by God …” We can know Him by faith because of His grace.

Much more can and is said about this idea of knowing God in section 1 of the book. I encourage you to embark on a journey, a journey to “know God” by recommending this book to you. I believe it will guide you along a path that will bring blessings and joy, with a focus on the most important part of life, often overlooked in a busy society. “This is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent” (John 17: 3).

–Jim Martino

Uprooting Anger
A Book Suggestion by Marcie Cramsey

“Anger is ‘hot’; it often ‘burns,’” evaluates Robert D. Jones, author of Uprooting Anger.[1] Anger is a strong emotion, whether divine or human. Of late, humanity burns it brightly. If I were a professor, I would give our world an A+ in anger gone wrong.

The news headlines scream sinful wrath. You don’t even have to watch or read the news to witness the fury of sinful man unleashing itself on others. You see it in traffic, the grocery store, schools, workplaces, and, sadly, the church and home. We also witness its horrific aftereffects on relationships and the dignity of human beings.

David warns, “Refrain from anger, and forsake wrath! Fret not yourself; it tends only to evil” (Psalm. 37:8 ESV). Paul, likewise, commands, “Be angry but don’t sin” (Ephesians 4:26 CJB). We learn from both men that anger has consequences and can be felt and acted upon sinfully. Most people who want to avoid both outcomes of unrighteous anger ask, “How do I refrain from anger, and how do I stop being angry with sinful feelings and behaviors?”

One of the best books to answer these questions is Uprooting Anger by Robert D. Jones. (You can check out a copy in our church library). Jerry Bridges (another great author) describes Jones’s book as biblical, practical, and masterful. I agree! It’s one of the most comprehensive books on how to discern the difference between righteous and unrighteous anger that I have read. It does not end with definitions, though. It gives practical biblical ways to deal with the heart behind our sinful anger and how, from minor irritations to explosive wrath, we can submit ourselves to the Holy Spirit’s way of dealing with it.

Jones defines anger as “Our whole-person active response of negative moral judgment against perceived evil.” [2] Anger itself is not sinful. But why we are angry, who or what we blame or want to protect, and what we expect as a remedy is where sin is seen. Jones suggests that most human anger is unrighteous, for it “always starts in the heart, with evil desires and wrong beliefs-lusts and lies.”[3] Before you object, let me explain.

The most revealing truth in this book is the difference between righteous and unrighteous anger. Many people believe they have righteous anger until they take a hard look at the following criteria for it:

1. Righteous anger focuses on God and His kingdom, rights, and concerns, not on me and my kingdom, rights, and concerns.
2. Righteous anger is accompanied by other Godly qualities and expresses itself in Godly ways.[4]

In this book, you will walk through scriptural exhibits that illustrate divine anger, as seen in the Father and Jesus, compared with anecdotes of people’s unrighteous anger. You will learn how to assess your anger by asking yourself the following questions:

• Does your anger react against an actual sin, as the Bible defines sin? Or are you just inconvenienced and not getting your way?
• Does your anger focus on God and His concerns, or does it meditate on your own concerns, wants, and desires?
• Does your anger coexist with other godly qualities and express itself in godly ways?

As believers, no matter how angry, we are called to express the fruit of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23). Unwillingness to submit to the Spirit’s fruit indicates we have indulged ourselves in unrighteousness.

James 4:1 gives us a great place to look at why we are unwilling to submit to the Spirit’s fruit, “What causes quarrels and what causes fights among you? Is it not this, that your passions are at war within you?”

Jones will guide you to look at the passions that are warring within you. He mentions that even our good desires can become sinful if we desire them too much, making them a demand. Suddenly, the good desire no longer wants what God wants; it wants what “I” want. There is no limit to what one will do to get it in this state. From manipulation, condemnation, withdrawal, and explosion, a person who serves their wants is doomed to corrupt their good desires.

Uprooting Anger gives clear steps to overcome our sinful desires and lusts to “be angry, but not sin.” You will uncover your underlying false beliefs and selfish motives. You will learn to repent and embrace God’s forgiveness and enabling grace. As you mature in understanding righteous anger, you will also learn to take responsibility for your behaviors and identify the evil your anger exacts on God and others. What freedom you will gain when you confess your unrighteous anger and find forgiveness from God and others! God will teach you how the gospel can reorient your perception of hard situations and hurts. Using scripture, Jones will instruct you on making a workable plan that avoids unjust anger.

Uprooting Anger is a Bible study on the topic of anger. It could be used personally, but it would benefit you more to work through the material with another believer, counselor, or in your small group. Exercises at the end of each chapter will help you work out the lessons taught.

I’m attending The Master’s Seminary online and finishing my degree in Biblical Counseling. I had to read this book for one of my classes. As I worked through the material, the two chapters that really stuck with me were “Anger Against God” (Ch. 7) and “Anger Against Myself” (Ch. 8). These are two areas I often encounter with people I counsel.

The solution to anger against God is to repent of our remaining unbelief and rebellion. Jones encourages us to reject the ideas that deny God’s goodness, power, and wisdom. We must praise God’s righteousness, love, justice, and sovereignty. To be angry at God is to assume that God, at times, does and is evil and makes unjust decisions, all of which are lies of the devil. On the other hand, Jones teaches us how to lament our hurt and hardships to the Lord while maintaining a posture of praise and reverence.  

Jones offers insights on the why behind one who is angry with themselves. It may indicate they don’t fully grasp God’s forgiveness in their life or minimize their sinful nature. People who cannot forgive themselves can be oppressed by regrets and failures, making themselves contentious people. They may evaluate their life through their own “righteousness” rather than God’s. Finally, they assume the role of judge that rightly belongs to God, not to them.

You will unpack each of these and so much more in the book. You will get to the root of your anger and uproot it through the gospel and God’s biblical solutions.

In closing, I will share my experience with the book. I spent time doing the exercises in the appendixes. “Pictures of God’s Forgiveness of His People” lists seven passages in scripture about God’s forgiveness of His people. In one sitting, I read each one, reflecting on my sinfulness. I was incredibly humbled by God’s immense forgiveness of me! I couldn’t help but ask Him to overwhelm me with His enabling grace to forgive others as He has forgiven me.

Besides learning to forgive others, we must be warned that unforgiveness lays a snare for us. It gives Satan a foothold in our hearts and keeps us from being and living the way God desires. Jones says it well, “Unresolved anger affords Satan a port of entry into the church’s life. It is a way in which believers, sadly, side with God’s archenemy. We further the evil one’s destructive agenda to destroy God’s people.”[5]

Do you lack peace in your life? Does anger quickly erupt in you? This is likely not due to someone else, a situation in your life, or a pattern you learned from your parents. It stems from you not dealing with the anger these outside influences have only revealed in your heart. Peace is not found in controlling or changing the other person or the problem but in aligning your heart and responses with God’s truth and His Spirit. 

–Marcie

__________________________________
[1] Jones, Robert D., Uprooting Anger, 19.
[2] Ibid, 15.
[3] Ibid, 22.
[4] Ibid, 29-30.
[5] Ibid, 162.

Daily Bible Reading

“This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it.  For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.”  – Joshua 1:8
 

As we come to the conclusion of 2023 and look forward to what God may have in store for us all in the new year, many will be offering sentiments of a happy and prosperous new year to one another over the next several days.  Unfortunately, many people today do not know how to attain the prosperous life they so desire and hope for.  Just as God shared with Joshua prior to crossing the Jordan River into the promised land He was about to give to the Israelites, for faithful followers of Christ today, blessings that we might hope to attain in the new year can be directly linked to one thing … in short, read and meditate on God’s Word, day and night!

The Westminster Shorter Catechism which was first approved by the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland in 1648 states the chief end of man is “to glorify God, and enjoy him forever.”  And how are we to go about glorifying God and enjoying Him forever?  According to the Shorter Catechism, “The Word of God, which is contained in the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments, is the only rule to direct us how we may glorify and enjoy him.”  The divine commission God shared with Joshua (Joshua 1:1-18), along with these first two questions and statements from the Shorter Catechism, remind us that God’s design for our lives includes knowing and obeying His Word, which requires faithful and deliberate study of the scriptures.

At Redeemer Bible Church, we want to assist in your growth and understanding of the scriptures so we encourage you to review the various bible reading plans referenced on our website (Reading Plan).  Whether you want to read the Bible in a year, build better devotional practices, or trace a particular topic throughout Scripture, the ESV reading plans will help you develop a habit of diving into God’s Word. With varying lengths, topics, and styles, dozens of available plans make it easy to achieve your specific Bible reading goals in the new year.

The beginning of a new year is often a time when many choose to make resolutions about a variety of things including, but not necessarily limited to health and wellness, relationships, or desired career changes/improvements.  While New Year’s resolutions may yield some benefits in the short term, may we be encouraged to pursue eternal rewards by committing to daily bible reading in the new year as we look to strengthen our faith and truly glorify and enjoy God throughout all of 2024!

In Christ,
Michael

The Wonder of God

The angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; for you have found favor with God.  And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name Him Jesus.  He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David; and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and His kingdom will have no end.”
Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I am a virgin?”
Luke 1:30-34 

The Wonder of God

Christmas is a sentimental time, filled with images of decorated fir trees nestled beside glowing fireplaces. It’s the most wonderful time of year, as just about every secular song and advertisement proclaims. Santa, colorfully wrapped presents, and twinkling lights appeal to our desire for the wonderful, and even the magical, and there is something in that. As image bearers of God, we are the only in creation who can indeed look up on a dark, clear night and wonder about the multitude of stars in the sky and perhaps about one particularly brilliant one.

And yet the wonder of Christmas started not with modern sentiment and desires of nostalgia, but with one age-old question that will never be found written on a Christmas card: “How can this be?”

As Luke tells us, the birth of Jesus is announced by the angel Gabriel appearing to young Mary and telling her of her favor with God and that she is going to give birth to a son, and not just any son, but the Son of the Most High. Mary ponders this weighty announcement and then marvels out loud, “How can this be, since I am a virgin?” Her present circumstances are facts, and yet while she expresses the current reality, her simple question rings with wonder.  How can this be? Not unbelief, but wonder, and the two are as different as the fish of the seas and the stars of the sky.

Mary does not doubt or rebel at this unnatural and unexpected announcement, but in agreement with the power of God, she wonders as a daughter of Adam bound by rules of  earthly humanity, how could this be possible.  It is a question carried by faith that bridges the known physical circumstances to the mysterious and incomprehensible plans of God.  In this question, the earthly and divine are on a collision course that will light up the world forever. Immanuel, God with us.  Jesus, fully man and fully God.  The perfect Adam, the willing sacrificial lamb, the suffering servant, the resurrected savior.  How can this be?  Oh, the beautiful wonder of it all. 

How can this be? It is one of the most captivating questions that any of us could ever ask. And we should. It is the question launched at creation, and like a shooting star of faith, still lights up the heavens with the glory of God.  The ancients of old asked the same questions: How can it be that Abraham, a childless old man would have descendants as many as the stars in the sky?  How can it be that Jacob, a deceiving scoundrel, would be the father of the twelve tribes of Israel, a promised nation.  How can it be that one of Pharaoh’s very own household would be the one to raise his staff over the waters of the Red Sea, leading the Israelites to freedom?  How can it be that a pagan prostitute would help facilitate the first victory of the Israelites in the Promised Land and be an ancestor of Jesus Himself. And the list could go on and on.  So many questions, every one a point of faith like the Star of Bethlehem leading the wise men to a manger where they surrender their most precious gifts to the baby king.  Like Mary who ponders and wonders and surrenders to the will of God what she does not fully understand.

That is the beauty of wonder. Every wonder about God should lead us to surrender.  Mary is endowed with the favor of God because she does what is impossible for any of us to do outside of His favor and the work of the Holy Spirit in our hearts. She is not favored to be good; she is favored to be a bondslave of the Lord, as she declares her own self to be in Luke:

“Behold, the bondslave of the Lord; may it be done to me according to your word.”

How can it be that this young woman, barely more than a girl, declares herself to be a slave of the Lord? Especially when doing the will of God will outwardly bear the very appearance of rebellion against it? It will seem impossible to those around her, and she knows this, yet she also knows that what the angel Gabriel tells her is true, “For nothing will be impossible with God.”

For Mary, her identity is not in doing what she perceives to be good and right, but in the knowledge of her total ineptness to do and be anything good in and of herself, a knowledge eclipsed in her heart by the truth that the most powerful God is Good and Perfect and Sovereign over every impossibility.

“Impossible!” roars a world to the wonders of God as the prophesies of His will lap quietly over the shores of time, all while a silent star begins to draw the worshipers to the foretold birth. The wise men begin their trek, the shepherds on watch sit gazing at the night sky, and Mary and Joseph slowly travel at a donkey’s pace to Bethlehem, the praises of Mary still echoing,

“My soul exalts the Lord, and my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior. For He has had regard for the humble state of His bondslave; For behold from this time on all generations will count me blessed. For the Mighty One has done great things for me; and holy is His name.”  Luke 1:46-49

A convergence of wonder and surrender takes place in Bethlehem as the impossible plans of God break forth and shine upon a dark world.  The heavens erupt in worship to the Mighty One, the stars a backdrop to a heavenly host praising, “Glory to God in the Highest”(vs, 14). Uncontainable worship fills the vast sky, and on earth it flows from hearts captivated by a God who even allows us wonder, “How can this be?”

May we marvel at the wonders of God, surrender to His will, and worship the Lord Jesus Christ. May our desire for the wonderful and the marvelous this Christmas lead us to our desire for the Wonderful and Marvelous God. May our lives be a brilliant star of His grace pointing others to the baby king, born in the shadows of a dingy and dirty manger, yet the only Light of the world.

–Amy Ingram

Reformation Day
 

Reformation Day was this week on Tuesday, October 31^st. This year is in fact the 506th celebration of Reformation Day! 506 years ago (1517 AD) in Germany, Martin Luther nailed his 95 theses on the church door in Wittenberg and formally began the Protestant Reformation. Leading up to 1517 there were many men who labored to reform the church, but Luther is credited with bringing the snowball to the edge of the hill and pushing it down to gain speed and size. Luther was a Roman Catholic monk at the time, and through his own study and searching of scripture sought reform. He was convicted in his heart regarding the true Biblical teaching of justification. He was concerned with the pattern and teaching of the Roman Catholic church on the topic of justification and whether it aligned with scripture. In response, he took to pen and paper and wrote down his 95 grievances concerning how the Roman Catholic Church handled specific teachings and spoke of the growing corruption within the Church. He sought not only to reform the church, but to reclaim the Gospel and true Biblical teaching on justification. This reclaiming was to center the Gospel back on justification by faith alone (Romans 3:28).

It is by our faith in Jesus that we are justified – declared not guilty before God. It is not the good works that we do or keeping the tradition of the Church, but only by our faith in what Jesus has accomplished for us on the cross. This central point of justification by faith alone was the stone that rippled through the 16^th century, and some 500 years later, we still see the effects of this stone. While justification by faith alone was the central issue for the Reformation, many will say the formal issue of the reformation related to biblical authority. Luther, and the reformers that followed him, held to the view that scripture alone was our final authority. The Pope placed himself in equal authority to scripture and positioned himself as having the authority to emphasize and dictate interpretations of scripture. Luther stood in opposition to this, claiming that scripture alone holds final authority.

Throughout the Reformation, the reclaiming of the Gospel and biblical authority struck the hearts of men and women through Europe, making its way to England. The establishment of the Puritan movement made its way over to America in the middle to late 17^th century, and from that movement, this great country was founded. Not only can we trace the legacy and lineage of our faith from this great Reformation some 500 years ago, but also the freedoms we enjoy while living in America. We can gather each Sunday in worship, knowing that we have the true Gospel and that men and women for centuries risked their lives to fight for this reform in the Church. We have confidence in knowing that the Lord has worked throughout the ages to refine and build up His Church to preach and teach the biblical Gospel.

As an outpouring of the Reformation, many doctrines were solidified and brought to the masses. To help capture the heart of the Reformation, we look to five key doctrinal teachings that give us a summary of the theological gold that was mined. These are called the Five Solas of the Reformation. Sola is Latin for alone or by oneself. The Five Solas of the Reformation are the following:

1. Sola Scriptura (Scripture Alone): Scripture alone is the sole source of divine revelation, the only inspired, infallible, final and authoritative norm of faith and practice.

2. Sola Fide (Faith Alone): We are justified by faith in Christ alone. Without faith it is impossible to please God. We are not saved by good works, we are saved by our faith in what Christ has accomplished for us.

3. Sola Gratia (by Grace Alone): Salvation comes by grace alone. Salvation is a gift of God by grace. This doctrine points to the fact that God saves us because of His mercy and goodness and not on the basis of anything we could do.

4. Solus Christus (In Christ Alone or Through Christ Alone): This emphasizes the role of Christ in salvation. It is through Christ’s penal substitutionary atonement on the cross that sinners are reconciled to a Holy God. His redemptive work on the cross is what brings the believer into right relationship with the Father

5. Soli Deo Gloria (For the Glory of God Alone): This brings it all together to show that salvation and God’s redemptive work is all for His Glory. It is not for the keeping of rules or our own interest, but we evangelize, we preach the Gospel and proclaim Christ as Lord for the sole reason that God deserves our praise and glory because of what He has done on our behalf. We should be doing all things to honor and give the Lord thanks.

My prayer this week is that we as believers in Jesus would look to the past and see how the Lord has worked and sustained the Church through uncertainty. The true Gospel will never be lost. One phrase that has stuck with me from reading and learning about the Reformation is Semper Reformanda (always reforming). We always need to look at the things we do in Church to make sure we are biblical and aligning ourselves to what the Lord has commanded for us to do. When we find ourselves outside of the Lord’s parameters, we must reform and reclaim God’s intention for worship and living. For further reading check out The Reformation: How a Monk and a Mallet Changed the World,by Stephen J Nichols.

May we trust the Lord as He continues to build His Church,

Kelvy Donovan

Persecution: Normal and Expected
 “If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also.” – John 15:20
 

In a recent conversation with Pastor Vic regarding the church in persecution, he asked me to write the devotion knowing we would be hearing a message on this subject. After giving some thought, my mind was drawn to an article written by Nik Ripken, author of The Insanity of God. I was Nik and Ruth’s pastor in California during their overseas service in a closed country. Over a nearly ten-year period of travel around the world interviewing believers in persecution, the resulting stories made their way into that first volume. Having experienced Nik’s persecuted church workshop on several occasions, I decided to include exerts from that article.
 
When Nik began gathering these interviews and learned of widespread persecution on several continents, he was compelled to ask these pastors and lay leaders, “Why have you cheated us in the West? Why haven’t you written these stories down? Where are the books that chronicle your faith in persecution? These stories are worthy of a movie. These are Bible stories come to life! Why have you not shared these lessons learned?”
 
As the questions were asked, these men and women sat in stunned silence. Finally, one brother stood up, took the interviewer by the arm, and drew him to the end of the large room by the eastern window. Looking out he asked: “Sir, when your sons were growing up, how many mornings did you take them to the window and say, ‘Look, boys, the sun is coming up in the east this morning?’” The interviewer responded to the obvious silly question with “Well, I never once did that because the sun always comes up in the east!” Gently, the wise brother made his point: “Sir, that is why we talk little of our persecution and suffering. That is why we have not written our stories down. And that is why we have not made a movie. Our persecution is always with us. It simply comes as we walk with Jesus. It is like the sun coming up in the east.”
 
Normally, when we send a person or a group out on mission, we begin our prayer for their safety. Safety under daily circumstances, such as travel to/from the field and to be free from illness such as drinking contaminated water. However, we must understand that our mandate is to take the gospel to the ends of the earth and many times that will seem like the gates of hell. During my time at the International Mission Board, our department sent thousands of people to the mission field. I stood before them, especially the 20-something Journeymen and told them that I assured their parents that the IMB would keep them safe. I went on to say that was a lie. The fallen sinful world in which we live has inherent danger with some that we can guard against and some we cannot. But persecution is another story. Nik goes on to share three principles that we must clearly understand.
 
First, persecution is normal for those who follow Jesus. Scripture makes this point from beginning to end. It is, quite simply, like the sun coming up in the east. Persecution is neither good nor bad—it just is. Certainly, Christians are not to seek persecution. But, at the same time, Christians need not give in to it as a crippling fear with attempts to avoid at all costs.
 
Second, conversion is the primary cause of persecution. That may sound strange, but consider this simple truth: When people come to Jesus, persecution results. And the only way to stop persecution is to keep people from coming to Jesus. Conversion and suffering for the faith are simply two sides of the same coin. Many Christians in the West hold to a missiology of suffering that is, at the very least, biblically inconsistent. Believers in persecution ask for prayer that they be found faithful in the midst of persecution, that they be bold in their witness, and that God would use their suffering to bring others to himself. They do not ask for others to pray that their persecution end.
 
Third, even when missionaries do everything right, the result of a bold and culturally-astute witness will be the persecution, suffering, and martyrdom of others. That’s the result of “the mission enterprise.” Tertullian boldly proclaimed that the blood of the martyrs is the seed of the church. Church history has proven this time after time.
 

The Purposes of God? What do we do when Joseph is wrongly accused and thrown into Pharaoh’s prison? What about Paul and Silas in the Philippian jail? Practically speaking, what do we do when that happens today? We protest and contact governments and United Nations officials. We demand that the person be freed. We righteously claim that rights have been violated. We point out that no crime has been committed and we say that we will settle for nothing less than release. We threaten sanctions. And that’s all understandable.
 
But what if God has determined that he needs this person in jail for a season? Or, at the very least, what if God determines that he will use this time of imprisonment for some special purpose? What if we spring this person too soon—before it is understood that Joseph can interpret Pharaoh’s dream or that Paul’s jailer has heard the gospel? What if we rescue him, only to discover that we have been working against the purposes of God?
 
Of course, we dare not be careless here: no believer has the right to be silent when another believer is suffering! The Church in the West has no right to ignore the suffering of brothers and sisters around the globe. But even so, there is a God-given wisdom that will lead God’s people to understand that there are times to allow Christians to remain imprisoned for the sake of God and his kingdom. God can and will reveal exactly when those times come.
 
For eighty percent of the Christian family in our world today, persecution remains as common as the sun coming up in the east. Surely, persecution is never to be sought nor fearfully avoided. But when it comes, each follower of Christ is invited to embrace it, to see it as normal and expected, and to pray that God might somehow use it for his purposes and ultimate glory.
 
If you have not read The Insanity of God by Nik Ripken, I would encourage you to do so. We have copies in our church library.

We trust the Lord as we continue to pray for our brothers and sisters around the world,
Glenn Prescott