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I have seen an end of all perfection: but thy commandment is exceeding broad. (Psa 119:96 KJV)

All that we consider on this earth to be wise, beautiful, insightful and charming has a limit, an “end”. But the Word of God is “exceeding broad.”

The church has spent 2,000 years studying, reading and meditating on God’s word and we still have not reached the end. The well is deep, the beauty is inexhaustible.

But in our day we have thousands of books, blogs, video series and celebrities and I fear that we spend more time reading about the Bible than we do reading the Bible.

Study it, absorb it, approach it with humility and fear, treat it as that which is able to save your soul.

Sure, read books from those greats who have gone before; but never let them take the place of the actual Word of God.

Read it. Read it again. Know it. What’s the argument? Who are the characters? What’s the theme? What points are being made? What’s the progression of thought? What does the author wish us to know about God? About ourselves?

14 But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them;
15 And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.
16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
17 That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works. (2Ti 3:14-17 KJV)

Do we believe this? Then put down the latest celebrity preacher, latest survey and latest commentary and open God’s word. Read with intention. Submit to the One who is able to save your soul.

Sleep is a marvelous thing!  Why is it that the Lord in His infinite and marvelous wisdom created man with a need to sleep at least a third of the day? We, who are fearfully and wonderfully made? We who were formed from the dust of the ground, whose breath is given by Almighty God?

Why sleep? Why is sleep one of our most basic needs?

I think that it has something to do with the basic pride of man. We like to think that we are so wise and so powerful and so much in control of our own destiny that we really don’t need God. God has made us a tremendous promise. “I will be a God to you and to your seed after you.” But we say, “No thanks. I think we got this just fine.”

But 8 hours every day, we are completely out of control. We lock our doors and buy fancy security systems, but when we close our eyes we are at the mercy of the elements, wild animals, criminals, fire…what else? We think that we can take care of whatever ails us in this life and God reminds us of our absolute dependence upon Him by making us need to close our eyes and sleep. Without His care, we would not last a moment.

Perhaps this is why our modern age has such a struggle with insomnia. We don’t want to give up control. So we lay awake worrying about the future, about enemies, about sickness and the economy. We fret and we worry – and we can’t even add one inch to our lifespan! Worry, as a wise pastor told me once, is simply praying to yourself – and we make very poor gods. All we can manage is to toss and turn on our beds fretting, but we can’t make one hair black or white by giving thought.

How much more helpless are we when it is time to lay down and sleep?

Look at the words of Psalm 127:

Unless the LORD builds the house, those who build it labor in vain. Unless the LORD watches over the city, the watchman stays awake in vain.
2 It is in vain that you rise up early and go late to rest, eating the bread of anxious toil; for he gives to his beloved sleep. (Psa 127:1-2)

What can we do when the Lord fights against us? And what can we not do when He is our strength and our shield? He who never sleeps nor slumbers is the keeper of Israel, the shade on our right hand.

Only this way can His beloved know the sleep of peace.

For this reason, David prays before bed,

8 In peace I will both lie down and sleep; for you alone, O LORD, make me dwell in safety. (Psa 4:8)

The Shepherd of Israel guides us to green pasture and causes us to lie down. He gives His beloved ones sleep.

The King of all creation is the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. We who have fled to Jesus for refuge are united to Him. So for the sake of Jesus, God is also OUR God and Father. Since He is almighty, He is able to give us all things necessary for our salvation. Since He is our Father for the sake of Jesus Christ, He is willing to give us all things. “Fear not, little flock,” said Jesus, “It is the Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom!”

Rest in peace, and sleep, for who can take you from your Father’s hand?

While I draw this fleeting breath; when my eyelids close in death;
When I soar to worlds unknown, see thee on thy judgment throne,
Rock of Ages, cleft for me, let me hide myself in thee.

Good night, everyone, and may the God of all peace give you rest and safety!

Once upon a time, there was a great and mighty city that was under siege by an ancient and powerful enemy. The enemy had destroyed many cities before. The city held firm for many days and then the warriors began running away from the battle and the ancient enemy started breaching the walls.
The wise men of the city investigated where all the warriors went. They were charged to defend the wall against the attack on the enemy and they had disappeared. Where did they go?
After many days they were found. They were measuring the skirts of their wives and daughters making sure that they weren’t turning into liberal feminists.
The enemy eventually destroyed the city. Pride and fear have caused many cities to fall.

As Reformed Christians, we get a lot right.  We have rightly rejected the false theology of the Methodists that led to prohibition. We rightly affirm that all things are given to us by God and are clean if they are sanctified by the word and thanksgiving. And we are right whenever we include beer, wine and spirits in the list of good things given to us by God.

But in our zeal for the correction of self-righteousness I fear that we often overcorrect. Moses warned us not to stray to the right hand or to the left. We must stay on the path of God’s revelation. Far too often, we look at one’s beverage of choice as a test of Reformed Orthodoxy. I happen to prefer iced water with my meals, and I cannot tell you how often I receive sideways glances or even intense questioning of my orthodoxy when I turn down wine or a beer.

Don’t get me wrong. I am not a teetotaler. I also robustly affirm that God created all things good and that they should be received with thanksgiving, alcoholic beverages included. I guess that I am actually more indifferent than anything else. If it sounds good when it is offered I might accept a beer or a glass of wine. But what usually sounds the best to me is iced water or perhaps a lemonade or iced tea. I would generally rather have a fresh-squeezed lemonade than a merlot or a micro-brew. But this is a question of taste, not an ethical or theological statement.

That being said, there is a danger that I see creeping up in Reformed circles that seems to me to be a far greater danger than even the dangers of teetotalism. We don’t take the sin of drunkenness as seriously as we ought. God told us quite plainly that a drunkard will not inherit the kingdom of God.

⁹ Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, ¹⁰ Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God  (1Co 6:9-10).

Think about what Paul wrote here.  Christians inherit the kingdom of God.  Drunkards do not. The unavoidable conclusion is this.  You can be a drunkard, or you can be a Christian.  But you can’t be both.

I will even use the modern term since what I have to say might be more readily heard.  You can be an alcoholic, or you can be a Christian.  But you can’t be both.

The next statement will be extremely controversial.  Most of God’s word is. There is no such thing as a Christian alcoholic. They do not co-exist. They are contrary. According to the passage above, a Christian alcoholic is as meaningless as a Christian adulterer, a Christian sodomite, a Christian thief, or a Christian extortioner.

To continue on with the same thought: when it comes to all sin, you don’t taper off. We would never allow an adulterer to “repent” and at the same time keep his adulteress relationship. A repentant thief doesn’t continue to rob banks. A repentant homosexual doesn’t keep his old buddies around. There really is only one way to deal with sin: radical mortification. As John Owen said, “Be killing sin, or it will be killing you.”

I am fully aware of addictions. All sin is addicting. Jesus raised quite a few eyebrows when he said, “If you continue in my word, then are you my disciples indeed. And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free” (John 8:32).

The Pharisees responded, “We are Abraham’s seed and have never been in bondage to anyone.”

The response echoes today. “I’m not an alcoholic. I can quit anytime.” “I’ve been raised a Christian and have been catechized by the best in Reformed Tradition. I’ve never been in bondage!”

And Jesus’s response is the same, “He who commits sin is the slave of sin.”

The lie of the Pharisees is the same lie that Jesus is calling us to forsake: the lie that we can continue unrepentant in sin and have it all under control. We can quit any time; that God cares more about pedigree and correct doctrine than he does about holiness. That we can be repentant and at the same time continue to love our sins.

Please do not be deceived. Drunkenness is an abomination against God; it is perverse and hateful rebellion. It is an idolatry and bondage to wickedness.

I do not say this to be spiteful and mean to those who are caught in this sin. I say this because only by acknowledging this truth can you be set free from it.

We know that Jesus actually does set us free from sin – even the sin of drunkenness.

Ezekiel foretold it:

 25 Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you. (Eze 36:25 KJV)

And again here:

 23 Neither shall they defile themselves any more with their idols, nor with their detestable things, nor with any of their transgressions: but I will save them out of all their dwellingplaces, wherein they have sinned, and will cleanse them: so shall they be my people, and I will be their God.

And Paul acknowledged that this had indeed been fulfilled. After strongly rejecting the sin of the unbeliever in the passage quoted above, he writes:

 11 And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God (1 Cor. 6:11).

But do not allow the grace of God to distort the Bible’s teaching on the horrors of sin. God’s grace is for those who acknowledge the filthiness of sin, not for those who continue to live in sin that “grace may abound”.

Do not let false views of Christian liberty distort the damnable sin of drunkenness. Christian liberty sets us free from bondage; it never places us back into it.

And do not ever think that words are the same as repentance. God does not desire our words of sorrow; our further lies and self-pity. He desires to save us from our misery by acknowledging the truth. Turn from your ungodly ways and live, says the Lord God. Repentance is not saying “I’m sorry”. Repentance is a hatred of sin, turning from it more and more as hateful to God, and at the same time, turning to the living God, seeking to please Him in all things.

It is better to renounce all creatures than to do the least thing against the will of our Father in Heaven.

Young people, as you head off to college, please remember this. Drunkenness is now expected behavior. But you are treading on very dangerous ground. Do not be partakers with them, for because of this the wrath of God is coming on the children of disobedience. It isn’t a game; it isn’t fun; it isn’t something to trifle with.

Sin should fill the hearts of God’s people with abhorrence and horror.

If you are caught in this sin, there is only one way to freedom, and it is offered to you freely by God. Repent. Turn from it with confession and abhorrence and turn to Christ, your only savior. Medical help might be helpful in getting you through the physical effects, but it can never take the place of repentance. It is not enough to clean the outside of the cup; repentance must go to the heart.

Repentance is always a recognition of the truth of scripture. Therefore true repentance always acknowledges this hard fact: if you are in bondage to alcohol, you are not a Christian. It does no good to fool yourself on this count, for God is not fooled. The only solid ground on which to place our assurance is in the word of God, not in our feelings, our upbringing, or our assent to certain orthodox doctrines. The word of God says that a drunkard will not inherit the kingdom of God.

Before we can know the comfort of our redemption, we must first know the how great our sin and misery is (Heidelberg 2). My duty as a shepherd of God’s people is to declare what God has said. It is both unloving and untrue for me to say otherwise. I cannot stand on the tower and refuse to sound a warning. There can be no hope of the gospel without a true recognition of the enormity of sin.

Jesus once spoke of a sower sowing seed. He told of some seed that fell among thorns and didn’t bring forth any fruit. When His disciples asked Him about it, He said,

¹⁸ And these are they which are sown among thorns; such as hear the word,

¹⁹ And the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in, choke the word, and it becometh unfruitful.

I read that again this afternoon and thought about it. He says that the lusts of other things choke the word. Is this why our lives are often so unfruitful? We seek God for the things. If He gives us enough money, nice enough clothes, a good marriage, well-behaved children, then we would be content.

But the problem is that we are in a continual search for more things, better things.

I don’t think that most readers of this blog are vulgarly materialistic. I don’t think that our desires are for a new car, designer clothes, the best delicacies, and diamonds on the soles of our shoes. But we all have those other “things” that we seek after.

Those desires become very acute when we lose some of the comforts of life. What about those in continual pain? What about irretrievable broken relationships? What about extreme poverty?

Perhaps it is loss of reputation. Someone has slandered and reproached us with such skill that our name has a question mark in the minds of those whom we loved dearly.

The hard facts of life in a cursed world often lead us into discouragement – perhaps even wondering if God is there at all. We live unclean lives among people with unclean tongues and long for something greater. But our idolatrous nature turns our longing into a desire for things – health, good food, sex, relationships, wisdom, good reputations – and we lose something very important about living a gospel centered life.

Happiness, contentment and joy will never come from things. What we all long for is God Himself.

If we search the scriptures to learn how to raise happy and well adjusted children, we will not find either God or happy and well-adjusted children.

If we search the scripture to learn how to have a successful relationship, we will fail. The lust for things chokes the word.

When we come to church to hear how to succeed at work, how to make friends, how to save money, how to save our marriage, how to …(the reader can fill in his own desires)… we will never find God, nor will we find what we seek.

Because of this, many fall away. Young people leave the church in droves. They heard how God was cool, awesome, and just so relevant and “now”. They were promised great marriages, great sex, great jobs – God wants them to be happy and well-adjusted.

And then the reality hit. The totally cute, God-centered man that they fell for isn’t what he appeared to be. That girl that the successfully wooed turned out to be human.Their reputation was shattered in college by reproach and lies. The job market collapsed.

What happens when you seek the things of this earth and those things disappear like soap bubbles on a sunny day?

Where is God when your life is constant physical pain? Where is God in the unemployment line? Where is God in the foreclosure notice? The divorce papers? What happened to all of the promises made by the soul-patched and skinny-jeaned youth pastors, signified by the purity rings and virginity pledges, and sung about by the dreamy Christian rock band of the day?

Jesus told us. The desires for something else choked the word of God. And now a question arises. Other than what? What is it that we are to desire above everything else?  David answers this in Psalm 27:

⁴ One thing have I desired of the Lord, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to enquire in his temple.

God Himself. God is Abraham’s reward (Gen. 15:1). God is the portion of the saints.

I love the hymn that says, “The bride eyes not her garment, but her dear bridegroom’s face”. God Himself is the pearl of great price that can only be obtained by selling all that one has.

It took Jacob many decades to learn this. Finally, when he was returning with four wives and twelve intolerable children to meet his greatest enemy, Esau, he wrestled with God and prevailed. He held onto God and cried “I will not let go until you bless me!”

From that day on he walked with a limp, but he held on to God.

From that day on, he was inflicted with misery after misery, but he held on to the Shepherd who guided him every day of his life.

When he met Esau, he gave flocks and herds to his offended brother. Esau said, “Keep them for yourself.  I have enough” (Genesis 33:9).  And Jacob responded, “Please receive this blessing for God has been favorable to me.  I have enough” (Genesis 33:13).

In the English, both statements, “I have enough” look the same. But in the Hebrew they say different things. Esau says, “I have much!” But Jacob says, “I have everything!”

Esau’s mind was still on the world. God had given him many flocks, herds, servants, children, wives. But Esau didn’t have God Himself.

Jacob had all of the material goods, but this isn’t what he is referring to. He was able to be generous, because he had “everything”.

On this earth, we may have riches or poverty. We may have health or sickness. We may have a house of peace or a house of trouble. We may have good reputations, or men may speak evil of us for Jesus’ sake. But if we have Christ, we have everything.

There is nothing more. There is no more to be sought. The things of this world always prove as satisfying as cotton candy to a starving man. With Christ, we are full. Without Chirst, we have nothing, though we may inherit the whole world. With Christ, we abound as Paul did – even in a Roman prison (Phil. 4:18).

There may come a day soon when we could very well lose our current prosperity.  We could lose our current status with the state. We might even be in fear of our lives. Millions all over the world have been driven from their homes, separated from their families, and killed by the sword for the sake of Christ and the gospel. But they have Christ. Things are not what they appear.

With Christ, we truly have everything and abound.

It depends on what you seek. If you seek the things, you might get them. But you will still be poor.

If you seek Christ, you may not get things, but you will be richer than you could have possibly imagined, for you will have God Himself.