Author: Pastor Jason Gilbert | Menomonie

May 10, 2024 Pastor Jason Gilbert | Menomonie

Enduring…

Recently some discussions around the church have been about continuing on, not giving up, not throwing in the towel, but enduring to the end. Some of the verses in discussion have been:

“Take heed to yourself and to the doctrine. Continue in them, for in doing this you will save both yourself and those who hear you.” – 1 Timothy 4:16

“But the one who endures to the end shall be saved.” – Matthew 24:13

But how do we continue? How do we know we will endure to the end?

The Word…

What does God say will endure to the end? Both in the Old Testament and in the New Testament, God declares,

“All flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of the grass. The grass withers, and its flower falls away, but the word of the Lord endures forever.” – Peter 1:24 (see also Isaiah 40:6-8)

We see an example of the word of God relating to our endurance in the parable of the sower. In it, Jesus defines the seed as the word of God. In some cases, the word was carelessly lost because a hard heart (i.e., hard soil). In other cases, the word was deemed insufficient to handle the trials and difficulties of this life. And in other cases, the word, was choked out by the cares and desires of this world. It was only the heart that nurtured for, provided for, and prioritized the word of God that endured.

King David…

In the Old Testament, King David had a lot of ups and downs. From being a young shepherd, to triumphing over Goliath. From being an outlaw, to king over Israel. From conquering enemy nations, to committing adultery with another man’s wife. From being a murderer, to repenting, and being declared a man after God’s own heart. Very few have had as many highs… and lows… as King David. Yet what kept David through it all? How did he continue on, and endure to the end?

In Psalm 119, David uses 8 Hebrew words for the “word of God”. They translate into our English as laws, words, testimonies, ordinances, commands, promises, statutes, and precepts. To see just how vital the word of God was for David, see Psalm 119:15-16, 27, 31-33, 40-41, 54, 93, 105, 118, 133, 141, 147-148, 155, 159-160, 162, 170.

In Psalm 1, we read of David,

“But His delight is in the law of the LORD, and in His law he meditates day and night. He shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that brings forth its fruit in its season, whose leaf also shall not wither.” – Psalm 1:2-3

David’s “leaf” did not “wither”, because his delight was in the “law of the LORD”, and he meditated on it day and night.

Us…

What about us? We too have our ups and downs. From victories over sin and mountain-top experiences, to shameful thoughts and wicked deeds. How might we continue on, and endure to the end?

Certainly, church participation, discipleship classes, fellowship with Christians, serving others, giving charitably, reaching out to those around us, and overseas missions endeavors are all good. But none of those things promise to keep us to the end. In reality, they are just the externals of our faith.

What is inside is the seed, the word of God, implanted in our hearts. That is what matters. Without it, there is no lasting spiritual life. Without it, nothing else we do can survive the tests of time. The only thing that will endure forever is the word of God.

Is the word of God in us? Are we nurturing it? Are we providing for it? Are we prioritizing it? Are we delighting in it? Do we meditate on His word? How often? With what focus? For how long? To what extent? Are we getting our sustenance from His testimonies? Are we receiving our directions from His precepts? If not, perhaps it is time to repent, and to renew our delight in God’s word. Perhaps it is time to turn again to God’s word, and to meditate on it, that we might be “like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that brings forth its fruit in its season, whose leaf also shall not wither.”

November 1, 2023 Pastor Jason Gilbert | Menomonie

Many of us know what it is like to feel convicted, especially after sinning. Even non-Christians experience some level of conviction in their conscience because of sin (John 16:8, Rom 2:15). Though we may try to drown our guilt by taking substances and medications; or distract our troubled minds with hobbies and activities; or absolve our sins through self-improvement and religious penance; the Spirit of God has very different goals in mind when it comes to the convicted sinner.

I find it ironic, in our modern age of medicine and self-help, that a Puritan writer from 1662 could offer such insight into this issue today. Yet William Gurnall in The Christian in Complete Armour outlines four timeless goals that the Spirit of God has for the convicted sinner.

The Evil of All Sin…

First, a convicted sinner is convicted not of one particular sin only, but of the evil of all sin. It is a bad sign when a person passionately condemns one sin but ignores another (James 2:10) … The Spirit of God is uniform in His work.1

The State of Sin…

Secondly, the convicted sinner is convicted of the state of sin as well as of acts of sin. He is affected not only by what he has done – this law broken and that mercy abused – but also by his present condition… (Acts 8:23). While many people are willing to confess they have sinned, they would not think of admitting they live in a state of sin and death. The convicted soul, however, freely accepts this sentence of death and owns up to his condition…1

A Condemned Prisoner…

Thirdly, the convicted sinner not only condemns himself for what he has done and for what he is, but he realizes he cannot do anything to save himself. Although many condemned people will go so far as to confess their sin and wickedness, they hope to cut the rope from their neck at the last minute by repentance and good works. They want to redeem their credit with God and recover His favor. This attitude surfaces because the plow of conviction has not gone deep enough to tear up those secret roots of self-confidence which entangle the heart of every sinner.

The sinner who is thoroughly convicted by the Spirit, however, sees himself like a condemned prisoner held by so many irons that escape is impossible… If you cling to the self-confidence of repentance and reformation, they will betray you into the hands of God’s justice and wrath. But if you have turned away from this religious self-confidence, you have escaped one of the finest snares that the wit of hell can weave.1

The Full Provision…

Fourthly, not only is the convicted sinner so convicted that he knows he is helpless, but he welcomes the full provision laid up in Christ for him… Without it the soul convicted of sin is more likely to go to the gallows with Judas, or fall on the sword of the law, than to run to Christ.1

And what is the full provision… laid up in Christ… for the convicted sinner?

“For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus” – Romans 3:23-24

“If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” – 1 John 1:8-9

“For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” – 2 Corinthians 5:22

References:

  1. William Gurnall, The Christian in Complete Armour, Volume 3, 1662.
May 10, 2023 Pastor Jason Gilbert | Menomonie

The Miracle of Toothpaste

I’d turned into this parking spot hundreds of times. I had a full 10′ between my garage and the light pole. It was a sinch with my compact Chevy Tracker. I’d become so good at it, I could whip in there at 10-15 miles per hour, slam the breaks, and jump out with an extra 3 seconds added to my day… easy peasy.

Then it happened. I heard a deep metal scraping sound… What was that? My brakes? A wheel bearing? I jumped out and walked slowly to the other side of the car. Oh no! My car’s paint from front to back was now marred with dark grey streaks. I couldn’t believe it. What was I going to do? Faye was going to be home soon. What was I going to tell her? I felt like such an idiot.

The car wasn’t worth the price of any professional paint job. And anything I could do would just make it look worse. So I googled. The oddest result appeared. It said to put a little bit of toothpaste with water on an old toothbrush or rag and rub it in a circular motion over the scratched paint. So I did. I grabbed an old toothbrush, my toothpaste, and some water, and started scrubbing.

I couldn’t believe it. As I went, the scratches started to disappear. The paint was even glossy where there had been a scratch. What was happening? This was nothing short of a miracle! Seriously, I was aghast. As I finished up, Faye pulled in. I was the happiest guy in the world… And I couldn’t wait to tell her!

I’m sharing this true story partly to tell of the amazing benefits of toothpaste. I’ve since used this same trick on scratched screen doors, storm doors, and window frames. It’s worked on most painted metallics. I don’t know how it works. It just does.

God’s Grace

I can’t help but see the corollaries between toothpaste and God’s grace. We sin often. And many times unintentionally. Sometimes out of carelessness. Sometimes in our haste. Often in our impatience. We have a desire to do the right thing, but just can’t seem to carry it through. As Paul puts it…

“For I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate.” – Romans 7:15

“For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out.” – Romans 7:18

We are embarrassed by our sins. We know better. We feel like complete idiots. And we know those closest to us can see our mistakes all too well. We need help. No, we need a miracle… So like David, we cry out to God…

“Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin!” – Psalm 51:2

And that’s exactly what God does… As we turn to Jesus, and apply His blood, His sacrifice, and His finished work on the cross… our marred souls are cleansed, and our stained consciences are washed…

“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” – 1 John 1:9

“And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.” – 1 Corinthians 6:11

Our Response

An interesting thing happens when we experience a miracle. We are thankful. We are grateful. And we don’t take it for granted.

To illustrate, since that day I have not scratched my car on the light pole. I’m now a little more careful when I pull in. Maybe it’s just me, but I don’t want to put this miraculous solution to the test. Don’t get me wrong. I’m glad it’s there. I just don’t want to be careless with it… I don’t want to take it for granted.

The same can be said of God’s grace toward us. Let us apply Jesus’ work on the cross to our every sin, to our every flaw, to our every mistake. Let us rejoice and be glad in what He has done for us. But let us not abuse this great privilege, nor take Him for granted. He’s done the miraculous. And He is way too good for that.

October 5, 2022 Pastor Jason Gilbert | Menomonie

To Stand…

In “The Christian in Complete Armour”, William Gurnall gives us an in-depth look at spiritual warfare. He spends some 1,500 pages unpacking Ephesians 6:10-20, expounding its text, discussing its implications, and giving some practical direction. In the first volume, he focuses on verses 10-13:

“Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.” (Ephesians 6:10-13)

Finally, My Brethren…

This is addressed to my brethren (i.e., to Christians at the church in Ephesus… and recorded in scripture for all Christians of all time). In other words, if you are a Christian, you will experience spiritual warfare. There is no escaping it. The “evil day” will come. It’s only a matter of time. It comes in various packages, facades, seasons, and circumstances…

  • The temptation to give in to sensuality or lustful pleasures
  • The enticement toward bitterness and unforgiveness toward a brother or sister
  • The itch for independence from all accountability (i.e., at church, at work)
  • The urge to doubt God’s goodness in the midst of physical pain or health issues
  • The appeal of self-pity in the face of unreciprocated love or care
  • The lure toward anger while enduring persecution or injustice
  • The attractiveness of the world (i.e., its comforts, its entertainment, its ease, its pleasures)
  • The inclination to fear when we stand on the precipice of death

Whatever “evil day” comes upon you, Satan has one goal in mind… that you fall…

The Power of His Might…

Anyone who thinks they can stand against the devil, against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of darkness, and against spiritual hosts of wickedness… in their own strength… is a fool. Pride comes before a fall. We need help… a lot of help. And for any born-again Christian, that help has been given to us in the indwelling Holy Spirit (John 14:16-17, John 14:26-27, John 15:26-27, John 16:13-14). In other words, God’s Spirit inside us… is the “power of His might…”

“You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.” (1 John 4:4)

But how are we availing ourselves of His Spirit… when the “evil day” comes upon us? Are we surrendering to His battle plan, His tactics, His principles, and His commands?

Having Done All…

In verse 13 the Apostle Paul repeats verse 11, exhorting us once again to “put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand…” However, he ends verse 13 with an addendum, “and having done all, to stand.” Though we can only remain standing “in the power of His might”, it is also expected that we have “done all, to stand.” In other words, God won’t do for us, what we won’t do for ourselves…

I think this is where most of us fail. We expect God to do His part. But we aren’t willing to do our part. And notice our part… We are to have done “all”… not “some”, not “most”, but “all”.

Christian, are we doing all we can… to stand?

  • Are we looking daily into the truth of God’s word?
  • Are we living righteously according to all He says?
  • Are we going out with good news of His peace?
  • Are we trusting Him in the trials that we go through?
  • Are we secure in the promises He’s made to us, to deliver us?
  • Are we rightly applying His word in every situation?

These are just a few ways we can be ready. For more on this subject, see “The Christian in Complete Armour” below. The “evil day” is coming for each of us. May we be found “having done all… to stand…”

William Gurnall – The Christian in Complete ArmourDownload
June 1, 2022 Pastor Jason Gilbert | Menomonie

This last month we have been discussing the practice and purpose of personal and community “Spiritual Check-Up”. We’ve looked at common ways Satan blinds us, the doors we leave open to the enemy, and how we can keep those doors shut. Through these teachings, along with reading “The Christian in Complete Armour”, my attention has been keenly focused on our spiritual well-being, our enemy, and our need to fight.

Our Spiritual Well-Being…

We’ve looked at the following common ways Satan blinds us, hampering our spiritual well-being:

  • Spiritual Delusional Disorder (i.e., we can’t tell what’s real from what’s imagined)
  • Spiritual Switzerland (i.e., we look for a middle ground, a compromise, safety)
  • Comfort and Lethargy (i.e., we have too much to lose)
  • Isolation (i.e., we take our church community foregranted)
  • No Joy, Peace (i.e., we look for happiness in worldly things, rather than Joy and Peace in Christ)
  • Lack of Discipline (i.e., we are tired, don’t want to hold the hard line anymore)

Our Enemy…

We also looked at the doors we leave open, that our enemy exploits:

  • An uncontrolled tongue (Proverbs 18:21, Proverbs 13:3, James 1:26, James 3:5-6)
  • An uncontrolled imagination (2 Corinthians 10:4-5)
  • Fears (Philippians 4:6-7, 1 John 4:18, 2 Timothy 1:7)
  • Sinful Habits (Ephesians 4:26-27, 1 Corinthians 10:13, Mark 7:20-23)
  • Stubbornness (Proverbs 29:1, Psalms 81:11-12)
  • Emotional Hurt (Proverbs 15:13, Hebrews 12:3)
  • Anger (Psalms 37:8, Proverbs 14:29)
  • Rebellion (1st Samuel 15:23, Psalms 68:6)
  • Unforgiveness (Hebrews 12:15)

Our Need to Fight…

We can’t avoid the fight if we are Christian (2nd Timothy 3:12, Acts 14:22). The enemy is coming, whether we ask for it or not (Genesis 4:7, 1 Peter 5:8). Paul puts it this way,

“Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.” (Ephesians 6:10-13)

First, this fight is addressed to a community: “my brethren… For we”. There is an aspect of fighting in which we are all in this together. None of us is exempt. We fight with and for our brothers and sisters.

Second, this is personal: “we wrestle”. As William Gurnall puts it,

“Wrestling is primarily a ‘one-on-one’ contest where one opponent singles out another and enters into an arena with him… Each wrestler exerts his whole force and strength against the other… Each contestant is the sole object of his challenger’s fury.”

“Wrestling is close combat… wrestlers grapple hand-to-hand… When Satan comes after you, he moves in close, takes hold of your very flesh and corrupt nature, and by this shakes you.”

Third, God gives us the tools to win: “be strong in the Lord… and the power of His Might”. But it’s on us to “Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand...“

Are We Ready…?

If we are going to be any good at this, preparation is required. Let’s examine ourselves in light of the above:

  • Am I strong in the Lord… and the power of His might? (i.e., Does He come through victoriously for me in the battle… Or do I give in to my flesh?)
  • Do I put on the whole armor of God? (i.e., Do I read, study, and meditate on His word… Do I pray and seek to remember his directions, so I can quickly maneuver and react?)
  • Do I take up the whole armor of God? (i.e., Do I recall his truth when needed, to win arguments against Satan… to fend off the enemy’s temptations?)
  • Do I fight for and with “the brethren”? (i.e., Am I surrounding myself with able men and women who can train me… Am I leaning on them for advice and feedback… to be a better wrestler?)

If we are going to make it, we can’t be ignorant of our spiritual well-being, our enemy, and our need to fight.

The Christian in Complete Armour – William GurnallDownload

March 1, 2022 Pastor Jason Gilbert | Menomonie

To be a Christian, one requirement is that we must repent (turn away) from sin. The need for people to repent is the first thing John the Baptist publically preached (Matt. 3:1-2). It is also the first thing Jesus publically preached (Matt. 4:17). Obviously, repentance is some sort of gate that everyone must pass through to become a Christian. And to repent (Greek: metanoeo) implies not just a behavioral change (i.e., what we say, what we do), but also a change of one’s mind (i.e., how we think).

I’m guessing most reading this (all 3 of you), already know the importance of repentance. It’s something we have to do regularly as Christians. I had to already make confession and repent this morning… to my wife and to God… and it’s still early. The question I am challenged with, and now challenge you with, is not the importance of our repentance, but the genuineness of our repentance.

Insincere Repentance

Reading the account of Moses before Pharoah in Exodus, we see several instances where Pharoah changed his mind and was willing to let Israel go to worship and serve God (Ex. 8:8, 25, 28; Ex. 9:27-28, Ex. 10:17-18). However, within hours or days, Pharoah again hardened his heart and reverted to his old ways (Ex. 8:15, 32; Ex. 9:34-35, Ex. 10:20). He had insincere repentance.

It’s easy to criticize Pharaoh as a villain in the Old Testament. But I wonder how many of us have done the same thing? Consider all the areas we are prone to sin… In our putting someone or something before God (i.e., idolatry), in our bitterness toward a believer or unbeliever, or in our lust or desire for someone or something. Perhaps we have recently repented in one of these areas. But did our repentance end up looking like Pharaoh’s? Did we turn back to our sin? Ultimately, God hardened Pharaoh’s heart and he perished for not truly repenting. What about us? Could we be awaiting the same fate?

Keeping with Repentance

I came across this in my reading this morning…

Many times people will confess that they have sinned without being truly repentant, especially when they experience difficulty, affliction, sickness, and hardship (c.f. Matt. 13:20–21). The test of genuine repentance is those fruits produced by the Spirit in our lives: godly sorrow leading to mortification of sin and increasing holiness of life (Luke 3:8; Rom. 8:12–13; 2 Cor. 7:9–10; Col. 3:1–17)

Gospel Transformation Study Bible

This caused me to pause. Is my repentance akin to the seed sown on the rocky soil? Whereas as soon as the next trial arises, my repentance is rescinded? Is my repentance just a cover for my sorrow… ultimately spiraling into a spiritual death? Or is my repentance genuine… freeing me from that sin, not to be undone a few hours or days later? To sum it up… is my life bearing the fruit, in keeping with repentance?

These are honest questions we need to ask ourselves.

The Holy Spirit

Pharaoh was sorry, because of the difficulties he experienced. But Pharoah was never totally surrendered to God. He didn’t really want to surrender to God’s will. He just wanted to have a sense of present ease. He wanted the bullets (i.e., flies, gnats) to stop flying around his head. He wanted calm. What about us? Are we just seeking present ease, calm from a difficult situation? Or do we really want to totally surrender to God’s will?

Perhaps the reason we struggle so much, and experience so little lasting peace, is because we aren’t fully surrendered to God’s will. If we were, wouldn’t the Holy Spirit produce the present and future fruit of repentance in our lives? Maybe we are so focused on the act of repentance, that we have overlooked our surrender to God’s will… Perhaps we are so focused on repenting… that we have neglected the source, the vine, that produces the fruit of repentance.

Remember, it is not us who has the power to keep us. That’s God’s work (Ps. 127:1). Ours is to surrender. Are we surrendered to Him? If we are, we will bear the fruit of genuine repentance.