In the midst of all the noise of what claims to be “Christian” today, it is not an irrelevant question to ask,“What does sincere devotion to God in ministry actually look like according to the Bible?”

30 Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters. 31 Therefore I tell you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven people, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven. 32 And whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come, (Matt. 12:30-32).

Last week we saw the reality that God has revealed the truth of mankind’s need for him with abundant and inexcusable clarity. But we also saw that despite the overwhelming clarity of the truth, sinful men will not repent and believe. In the face of every opportunity, sinners will spurn the gospel of grace to their own everlasting peril. Why is this so? Why will men stare the offer of God’s merciful pardon of all their sins in the face and yet refuse to repent and be saved?

Beloved, it is because our heavenly Father is merciful that he will not hesitate to make his straying children miserable in their sinful pursuits. Indeed, we can all affirm that “for the moment, all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant,” (Heb. 12:11). But let us never forget that the end of his designs is always “for our good, that we may share in his holiness,” (Heb. 12:10).

Why does the God who has all power, all authority, all wisdom, and all grace, sometimes allow the children he loves to suffer? This is an important question, and one which both believers and unbelievers have raised throughout the ages.

He who made the mind and heart of every child is he who wrote the Word to guide them both for his glory. Let us trust him and be faithful to lead our families to God day by day.

When a child looks up at the night sky and sees the stars, they often think to themselves, "Look at all those tiny little lights!" With their unaided eyes, they cannot recognize the overwhelming magnitude of the celestial luminaries they are actually seeing. They can hardly imagine that things which appear so minuscule to their eyes, could, in reality, be so colossal.

Within the story, one of the pictures which the main character "Christian" is shown during his visit with the "Interpreter" is a fireplace. On one side of the fireplace stood a villainous creature who was constantly pouring water on the fire in an effort to quench its flames. Yet, as Christian watched the fire, though it was stifled in measure by the water, the flames would not go out. As he wondered why this was so and why the Interpreter was showing it to him, he asked and the Interpreter took him to a secret room on the backside of the fireplace which he could not formerly see.

The Christian mission is unavoidably costly. No one who has actually read and understood the words of Jesus of Nazareth could tell you otherwise. Yet it is the most important mission that could ever be undertaken. It is impossible to live for something greater, and it is foolish to live for anything less. Those who refuse to acknowledge the Lord Jesus Christ before men, will be denied by Jesus Christ before the Father, (Matt. 10:32-33).

As Christians, we have been given the unpopular task of engaging the hearts and minds of our fellow men on these thorny issues. This will not be easy to do, and we should not expect it to be. But even with the challenges we will face, it is work which is of the utmost importance when it is approached with the gospel of grace at the center. Our engagement is not for the sake of judgment, or politics, or some kind of fundamentalist agenda. Our engagement is for the sake of the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and for the good of our fellow man—both temporally and eternally.

We typically think of this verse as referring to following the many unhelpful voices that exist outside of us. But it is important to recognize that sometimes “the counsel of the wicked” originates in our own heart and mind. Sometimes it isn’t what other people are saying or doing that is the problem. Sometimes it is what we are saying or thinking about ourselves.

Everyone wants to be blessed. Everyone wants to live a life of joy and fulfillment, of significance and purpose. So what is the path that will lead us there? As simple as that question is, it strikes at the foundation of each person’s life. Your answer to that question is the rudder that steers directs you.

11 Say to them, As I live, declares the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live; turn back, turn back from your evil ways, for why will you die, O house of Israel? (Ezek. 33:11).

“When Jesus replies to their question, he declares that if they had any proper understanding of redemptive history at all, their eyes would be fixed on him—not on fasting! The whole Old Testament has been one grand series of preparations, all pointing forward to the greatest of all weddings—a wedding between Christ and his eternal bride, the ransomed Church. In v15, Jesus declares that the day of that wedding is now at hand, and that the Bridegroom himself is standing before them. By naming himself as the Bridegroom of the people of God, Jesus unequivocally asserts that he, and he alone, is the great fulfillment of all Old Testament anticipation—the central focal point and climax of all redemptive history.”

How is God's love for you in Christ comforting your heart and shaping your life today?

I don't know about you, but I am a person who thrives on a clear sense of purpose. It helps me know where to aim my heart, mind, and devotion. In the Christian life, God has given his people two primary points of focus.