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Sun in the Storms
As the old saying goes, “If you don’t like the weather in Michigan, just wait five minutes.” Today is proving the wise old sage knew what he was talking about. Yet from sunshine to storms…and back again to sunshine then storms this is the day the Lord has made, therefore, let us rejoice and be glad in the One who has ordained it! This same truth connects with our everyday lives, too. The difficulties and happy moments, the valleys and the mountaintops are all part of God’s work of grace in and through His people. God’s testing and God’s blessing are all part of His design to refine the character of His people.
Songwriter, Laura Story, wrote in an incredibly moving song entitled Blessings, “What if Your blessings come through raindrops, what if Your healing comes through tears, what if a thousand sleepless nights are what it takes to know Your near? What if my greatest disappointments or the aching of this life is the revealing of a greater thirst this world can’t satisfy? What if trials of this life are Your mercies in disguise?”
Listen to these words of truth that outline the same message:
“Shout joyfully to God, all the earth; Sing the glory of His name; Make His praise glorious. . . . Bless our God, O peoples, and sound His praise abroad, Who keeps us in life and does not allow our feet to slip. For You have tried us, O God; You have refined us as silver is refined. You brought us into the net; you laid an oppressive burden upon our loins. You made men ride over our heads; we went through fire and through water, Yet You brought us out into a place of abundance. . . . Come and hear, all who fear God, and I will tell of what He has done for my soul.” (Psalm 66:1, 8-12, 16)
Did you catch the movement in that psalm? You didn’t quite expect that, did you? God’s refining, sanctifying work of grace in His children sometimes involves deep difficulty… but also great rejoicing. He may bring “burden . . . fire and water” yet he also does not allow our “feet to slip” (even though it may seem like it at the time!). And, ultimately, God leads us through and out of those stormy valleys.
Remember, God’s testing and God’s blessing are all part of His design to refine the character of His people.
On the other side of the trial, we turn yet again, like the psalmist, and proclaim, “Come and hear . . . Blessed be God, Who has not turned away my prayer nor His lovingkindness from me.” (Psalm 26:16a, 20).
What storms are you going through right now? What is God teaching you through the “thunder, lightning, and rain” you’re experiencing right now? I’d like to hear about it and pray for you. I will look forward to your reply.
Looking for strength in the middle of your storm? You can listen to a recent message I preached entitled “Strength for any Storm” (Psalm 8) by clicking on the play button below or by subscribing to our iTunes podcast.
Delivered at North Park Baptist Church of Grand Rapids, Michigan.
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Good News for America
From my family to yours… we hope and pray that you are enjoying a wonderful weekend celebrating America’s independence and the abundance of freedoms God has granted us in this great nation.
Over the past two and half weeks, we’ve gone through several serious storms here in the United States. Even as I write this, dark storm clouds seem to be looming off in the distance. I’m not speaking necessarily of thunder, lightning, rain, or hail (although we certainly could experience those at any given moment in Michigan!). No, I speak of the murderous actions, vitriolic hatred, and national applause for immorality that have filled the media-sphere.
Individually…on Wednesday night, June 17th, a young man strolled into a church in Charleston, SC, for their small group prayer meeting. After sitting in the circle for more than 45 minutes, he stood up and opened fire on the people, leaving 9 dead. His hatred for our African-American brothers and sisters brought us to deep grief and tears…
Nationally…the United States Supreme Court took action a week ago this past Friday, and in a 5-4 split, voted in favor of a position directly opposed to both natural law and God’s revealed design in creation and in His Word.
Internationally…immorality is being applauded across the Western hemisphere, and globally, more Christians are being martyred for their faith than at any other time in history.
The storm of nations and peoples is raging, but for all the talk of “freedom ringing,” our nation and world seems to be fracturing into splinters. True freedom is squelched, ignored, and even criticized.
As I’ve interacted with many of you who are following Jesus Christ, there has been an unmistakable tone of despondency. On this Fourth of July weekend, many of you may understandably feel torn between a wholesome love for our country and a sense of sadness about the direction our society seems to be taking.
In Jon Bloom’s insightful article “Loving and Celebrating a Defective Nation,” he wrote:
“Our national celebrations have always been tempered with the reality that the U.S., throughout its history, has at times legalized terribly destructive immoral things, such as the enslavement of African peoples, the genocide and social alienation of native North American peoples, and the systematic killing of 50+ million unborn children, just to name a few. It is right to be grieved over legalized sin.
But let the current events increase our resolve to seek America’s greatest good. Being citizens of a better country frees us from trying to make this one the kingdom of heaven. Our time here is short and “here we have no lasting city” (Hebrews 13:14). Jesus’s kingdom is not of this world (John 18:36). So let us give ourselves to bring as many Americans to the better, lasting country as possible.” Click HERE for the full article at www.DesiringGod.org
As I noted on my Facebook wall yesterday morning, let true freedom ring… today and everyday. Rescue, refuge, and reconciliation is found in Jesus Christ alone. Sharing and showing the Good News is the most loving thing we can do for the United States of America.
In the midst of despair about the state of our nation, let us not lose sight of God’s mission and our eternal home. God is still in control and He is still on His throne. And one day Jesus the Christ will return and vanquish all His foes.
Those who stand against the rule of God today and seek to omit Him from their lives will one day stand before Him for final judgment. When the storm of nations and political activists and scheming sinners rages into the sound of a roar, we know all the noise is utterly futile…vain schemes that will not accomplish one iota against the LORD and His Christ.
Yet God’s judgment is also joined with God’s mercy, for the One who died in our place on the cross of Calvary is the only secure hope of rescue and refuge from God’s just judgment. He alone is the Good News for America.
Why are the nations in an uproar and the peoples devising a vain thing? The kings of the earth take their stand and the rulers take counsel together – against the LORD and against His Messiah, saying, “Let us tear their fetters apart and cast away their cords from us! He who sits in the heavens laughs, the Lord scoffs at them. Then He will speak to them in His anger and terrify them in His fury, saying, “But as for Me, I have installed My King upon Zion, My holy mountain.” . . .
Now therefore, O kings, show discernment; Take warning, O judges of the earth. Worship the LORD with reverence and rejoice with trembling. Do homage to the Son, that He not become anger, and you perish in the way, for His wrath may soon be kindled. How blessed are all who take refuge in Him! (Psalm 2:1-6, 10-12)
This morning at North Park Baptist Church we fixed our gaze on Jesus Christ as we celebrated the Lord’s Supper and looked to Psalm 2 to gain understanding about a storm of nations and peoples who are opposed to God and His Messiah.
You can listen to this sermon by clicking on the play button below or by subscribing to our iTunes podcast.
You’ll learn what God is doing in the middle of this storm, what He will do in the future, and what He calls His people to do right now: “A Storm of Nations” (Psalm 2:1-12) delivered at North Park Baptist Church of Grand Rapids, Michigan.
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I’m Traveling to India…
Dear Family and Friends,
Make no mistake about it: Jesus the Messiah calls every single one of His followers to go. The question is not if you will go, but when and where. After rising from the dead on the third day in fulfillment of the Scriptures, Jesus spoke these words to His disciples,
“Peace be with you; as the Father has sent Me, I also send you.” (John 20:21)
Jesus later explained the essential framework of this divine sending mission, “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:19-20)
God’s mission may not send all of us out-of-country and overseas, but you and I are called to engage “all the nations” with the saving, transforming message of Christ. Your “going” might entail having intentional gospel conversations with your Muslim neighbor next-door, an agnostic co-worker, or the Hindu family across the street. Yet God also gifts and guides His people to pray deeply and give specifically for those living and working in foreign lands for the sake of the Gospel. In this way, we are all woven into the fabric of sending and being sent… for the joy of all nations and the glory of God.
Mission: India
God has opened up a unique and exciting opportunity for me to go to the other side of the globe – Northeast India – to share the Good News of Jesus Christ through three large-scale Vacation Bible School programs and by teaching and preaching at a pastors and Christian workers conference, aimed at encouraging, equipping, and uniting the many national Baptist pastors in Assam and Mizoram, India. (see further details about the trip in the Prospectus below)
Watch this short video to hear more about where we’ll be going, how we’ll be spreading the Good News of Jesus, and how you can partner with us:
As many of you know, this will not be my first journey to India. In 2005-2006 I spent five weeks in the state of Andhra Pradesh (near the city of Visakhapatnam) ministering alongside national Indian Christians through tribal village medical camps, teaching/assistance at an orphanage and school, evangelistic meetings, pastors’ conferences, a week-long VBS program, baptism services, and itinerant preaching.
“Tribal” mountain village ministry near Paderu, India. (2006 – I’m on the far left)
My wife and I are thrilled that God has brought along this opportunity for me to return to India to serve on God’s mission.
Would you like to join with me in sharing the message and mercy of Jesus Christ in India?
Here are two ways you can partner with us:
- PRAY. Please pray for our team as we prepare to share and declare the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Please pray for great unity and joy within our team and that God will draw hundreds of spiritually lost people to the saving message of Christ. Pray that the many national pastors will be strengthened and encouraged through the conference will be hosting, and that God will develop unity among the region’s many Bible-believing churches. Thank you!
- GIVE. Consider financially partnering with me to share the grace and truth of God in Northeast India. I will need $1500 by June 6th and the total amount of $2500 by June 24th. Thank you! Note: Your financial gifts will be tax-deductible because all donations are being sent directly through North Park Baptist Church (a registered 501c3 non-profit corporation).
Click here to go to my YouCaring fundraising page to make a safe and secure e-donation: https://www.youcaring.com/MissionIndia2015
Thank you for taking the time to read this letter. I am grateful for your friendship and partnership in the exciting, life-changing mission of God.
“Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you will abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” (Romans 15:13)
In Christ Alone,
Michael Breznau
Lead Pastor
North Park Baptist Church
3365 Coit Ave. NE
Grand Rapids, MI 49525
Prospectus :: Mission Team Objectives ::
Team Leaders: Bruce and Judi McJones (10+ trips to India)
The objective of the missions trip is two-fold:
The first objective is to encourage and meet the needs of our brothers and sisters in Christ who are working in North East India. The people we will be helping are nationals who are reaching nationals. Many of the people are the children of men and women who came to know Christ through the ministry of Paul and Genella Versluis as well as other missionaries.
The second objective relates to our church members. Through mission trips, our church members are able to serve using the talents with which God has gifted them in short term missions service. Some of those who go on a missions trip will return to use those talents at home through our church and community. Others will develop long term relationships with nationals who they will pray for and encourage through e-mails and other forms of communication. All who go will be challenged spiritually.
Trip Dates: July 29 – August 18 2015.
Project Outline
The locations of service will be in the state of Assam India in the Allipur and Pailapool community as well as the state of Mizoram in the city of Aizawl.
Pastor Michael Breznau and Isaac Gajendran will be hosting a pastor’s retreat and conference for Christian workers, focusing on our unity in Jesus Christ and our mission together for the glory of Christ with messages from Paul’s Letter to the Ephesians and the Gospel of John. Others in the group will be helping at Burrows Memorial Christian Hospital in various roles depending on individual talents/skills.
While in the state of Mizoram we want to continue to build our relationships with two schools where we previously ministered through VBS and evening counseling programs.
The estimated cost is based on the 2014 missions trip. Some of the costs will vary based on inflation and activities. Estimated Cost: $2,500.
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Everyday Moms in a Superwoman World
Sometimes it’s not just the children who want to throw a tantrum… check out this 30-second video clip:
Yes, there comes a point in the life of every mother (and most fathers, too) when they feel like throwing a tantrum…
…maybe it was the “adventure of the dirty diaper” when your toddler decided to paint the walls with a certain smelly brown paste they found in their drawers after a nap,
…or perhaps it was the seventy-ninth time you pierced the sole of your foot on a tiny Lego block,
…or maybe it was the third burnt dinner (with the fire alarm going off) while you were trying to bathe your kiddo after an “accident” – and your husband walks in the door…
…or perhaps it was the fifth time your rambunctious 5 year old flushed a toy down the toilet and successfully plugged it up and created a flood on the bathroom floor for his Little-Tikes Noah’s ark…
…or maybe it was the plate of dinner flipped over onto the carpet…
…or perhaps it was the giant stain that somehow appeared on your favorite shirt (and you have know idea how it got there!)…
…or maybe it was having to break the vacation piggy-bank in order to make end’s meet…
…or the missing sock, the missing shoe, or the missing Chimpanzee in the zoo (just making sure you’re listening)
…or MAYBE it was when another mom posted on Facebook a giant list of everything she and her perfect little kids accomplished in one day – and you aren’t even sure what happened at all that day!
…or perhaps it was when another woman saw your kids, your sometimes messy van, or cluttered house, and gave you “the look”…
And you’re overwhelmed and trying harder but you still feel like you’re treading water.
SuperWoman Expectations
Under the weight of everyday mishaps, tantrums, and accidents, I’m convinced most moms are overwhelmed and compounded by expectations to be a Super-Woman-Super-Mom.
Most moms I know regularly feel like the frazzled woman pictured on the left (below) rather than the smiley-dazzled “super-girl” on the right:
Everyday moms have all the charts and books and courses (available on Amazon or at the Barnes and Noble Bookstore nearest you) to “make” them Super-women:
They need to use the right kind of organic baby food, use natural cotton skin-sensitive diapers (or if you’re the extra super-mom you re-use cloth diapers). Super moms never have toddlers who perform temper tantrums on the floor in the grocery store, they never miss an alarm clock, never have melt-downs in the church bathroom, and never forget to have a perfect meal ready for their husband at 5:30pm. They never get depressed, always post happy thoughts on Facebook, always live with a big smile, always are on time for every soccer game, never miss a PTA meeting, and never even need a second cup of coffee!
But with all these totally unrealistic expectations, what can everyday moms know is true about God and true about how He works in all of us (today, especially moms) when we feel so “everyday” in a “super” world??
Five Everyday (even messed up) Moms
God’s Word highlights five women in Matthew 1:1-16 – women who had obvious flaws, struggles, and sin-issues, yet all were in the line of Jesus the Messiah-King. In a very shocking way, God’s story in their lives tells us what is true about Him and what is true about how He works with and through moms… even today. Let’s take a look:
“The record of the genealogy of Jesus the Messiah, the son of David, the son of Abraham . . . Judah was the father of Perez and Zerah by Tamar, Perez was the father of Hezron, and Hezron the father of Ram…” (Matt. 1:1, 3)
1. Tamar acted as a prostitute with her father-in-law, Judah, after he reneged on his commitment to give her to his youngest son, Shelah, after he came of age. (Gen. 38:6-30). Tamar first married Judah’s firstborn son, Er, who died because he was evil in the sight of the Lord (v. 6-7). Judah then told Onan, his second-born, to have sexual relations with Tamar to carry on the name of his brother in covenant loyalty (acting as kinsman-redeemer). However, Onan rejected covenant loyalty and acted in deception by refusing to impregnate Tamar. As a result, God took his life (v. 8-10). Judah then promised Tamar marriage to his youngest son, Shelah. So Tamar dutifully returned to her father’s house to wait it out. However, Judah didn’t fulfill his promise. So Tamar played on Judah’s sexual lust and seduced him like a prostitute in order to force him to make good on his promise (apparently he didn’t know it was her because her face was covered behind a veil). Tamar became pregnant by Judah with twins: Perez and Zerah. And Perez would ultimately be in the line of David and Jesus the King.
This story is like the worst of the Lifetime Network Soap Opera shows…it’s one giant mess of sin, deception, and death! Yet through this mess God works in unexpected ways through messed up, ordinary people to display His extraordinary grace… in the coming of Jesus the King. Now don’t misunderstand me, this doesn’t make this mess of sin “right” or good, but it displays God’s radical grace to people who don’t deserve His love and yet He works out His plan despite their issues.
“Ram was the father of Amminadab, Amminadab the father of Nahshon, and Nahshon the father of Salmon. Salmon was the father of Boaz by Rahab…” (Matt. 1:4-5a)
2. Rahab was labeled a prostitute, a “harlot” (Josh. 2:1) and was a Canaanite pagan from Jericho. But God, by His sovereign grace, turned her heart to make this bold confession of faith: “the LORD your God, He is God in heaven above and on earth beneath” (Josh. 2:11). Her faith in the LORD (YHWH) also saved her and the rest of her family from death when the Israelites invaded Jericho. But even more shocking is the fact that Rahab would marry an Israelite named Salmon and give birth to a baby boy named Boaz… (Matt. 1:5).
God is displaying His radical grace… turning tables…redeeming. God works in unexpected ways through ordinary people to display His extraordinary grace.
“…Boaz was the father of Obed by Ruth, and Obed the father of Jesse. Jesse was the father of David the king.” (Matt. 1:5b-6)
3. Ruth was raised a heathen, a Moabitess (Ruth 1:4). The very label “Moabitess” was sprinkled throughout the book of Ruth to drive home the point of God’s grace to people outside ethnic Israel. Ruth, no doubt, would have been considered a societal outcast in Bethlehem. Yet God draws her to believe in Him, the God of Naomi (1:16-18), and follow her empty-handed and bitter mother-in-law out of Moab and back to Bethlehem (1:19). Then in a whirlwind turn-of-events, Ruth, the Moabitess, by God’s plan, married Boaz and gave birth to a son named Obed, and Obed was the father of Jesse, and Jesse… was the father of David the king of Israel. And again, God proves that He works in unexpected ways through ordinary (and even unusual) people to display His extraordinary grace.
“David was the father of Solomon by Bathsheba who had been the wife of Uriah. Solomon was the father of Rehoboam, Rehoboam the father of Abijah, and Abijah the father of Asa.” (Matt. 1:6b-7)
4. Bathsheba was the former wife of Uriah, one of David’s fiercely loyal warriors. But King David took Bathsheba in adultery, and then plotted Uriah’s death (2 Sam. 11:2-27). If you thought the giant mess-of-a-story with Judah and Tamar was maddening and depressing, this one will set your teeth on edge. David’s lust-driven treachery ends in a train-wreck of darkness, death, and tears …but God again displayed His shocking, radical grace.
“…Jacob was the father of Joseph the husband of Mary, by whom Jesus was born, who is called the Messiah.” (Matt. 1:16)
5. Mary was a very young woman who’s story was, no doubt, surrounded by gossip, slander, and raised eyebrows around her small village. But through the agency of the Holy Spirit, this simple, ordinary, yet faithful young girl carried the incarnate Christ to full-term and delivered Him at God’s appointed time of light breaking through the darkness to bring the message of salvation to the whole world (Matt. 1:16ff).
God works in unexpected ways through ordinary people to display His extraordinary grace.
The Bible is so incredibly honest. God’s divine revelation contains no sugar-coating or glossing-over the real-life details and imperfections of God’s people. You see, it’s not a book of heroes or rules (as Sally Lloyd-Jones put it in “The Jesus Storybook Bible”), but a book about the ultimate Hero, God in Christ, who came in love to rescue us back from the darkness and death and sadness of sin.
A Savior for Everyday Moms
The truth is… no mom can be a perfect super-woman because all moms are sinners and live in a fallen, messed up world, just like all five women in the line of Christ. However, God displays His grace in unexpected ways through ordinary people, especially everyday moms. God always prefers to operate with grace through people who know they are not super or special or perfect.
My Everyday Mom: I recall my mom working her tail-end off to make her best attempt at homeschooling me. Ha! I was crazily energetic – some sort of mix between my German-Czechoslovakian bloodline and the jackrabbit at the zoo. She used to chase me around the house with a school book in one hand and the phone (with my dad on the line) in the other hand.
But you know what eventually got through to my thick skull and stubborn, rebellious heart? My mom’s consistent, obvious dependence on God’s grace. She openly admitted her failures and faults. She often requested our forgiveness. She always spent significant portions of the day in prayer. Why? Because she knew she could not handle me without God’s power.
So maybe right now you’re overwhelmed with expectations, burn-out, or fear of the future. Perhaps your rambunctious toddlers are now wayward teenagers. Maybe you’re coping with an angry husband, loss of a job, or the extreme challenges of single-parenting. Through all of these difficulties, trials, and fears Jesus has a message for you.
Come and Rest.
Because God works in unexpected ways through ordinary people to display His grace, you can come to Him and rest. Really.
In the first century A.D., the everyday Jew was weighed down by an unbelievably long list of unrealistic rules and expectations enforced by the Pharisees. So through the haze and sweat and fear, Jesus the Christ announced healing, hope, and rest in the grace of salvation through Him alone. Here is Jesus’ message:
“Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and my burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30)
God promises rest for all who come to the Son. Because Jesus has finished the work, won the battle, and fought the fight, we can rest and hope and enjoy life again – in Him. But what does this mean for everyday moms? You don’t have to be superwoman because your life is sourced in the life of the supreme King, Jesus Christ.
The unrealistic expectations placed on women today to perform as the super-woman-super-mom are built around the belief that to be successful in this world is to be happy in this world. But that belief is a “master” who will never be satisfied and never fully happy. You will never do enough to satisfy the “master” of success or happiness. But Jesus is the Master who is gentle and humble. He bears our burdens with us. He brings us to the end of ourselves to do through us what we could never accomplish on our own. He is the Master who gives real healing, hope, and rest.
So Jesus beckons to everyday moms:
- Receive Healing from the sores of carrying the burden on your own.
- Take Hope in God when you’re overwhelmed by the fear of never being perfect enough.
- Find Rest from the labor of doing what only God can do.
God will always accomplish His plan to the display of His glorious grace, especially through everyday moms – not superwomen. Receive healing. Take hope. Find rest.
To Every Mom…
…struggling with dirty diapers and a messy kitchen, God offers His presence
…coping with a wayward child, God offers hope
…dealing with physical burnout, God offers rest
…grieving the loss of children through miscarriage, God offers comfort
…groping through emotional depression, God offers strength
…grappling with single-parenting, God offers community with His people
…worrying about not doing enough, God says Jesus Christ is enough
…battling against fear of the future, God provides peace in the chaos.
So moms, mothers, grandmothers… right now you may feel overwhelmed, inadequate, frazzled, and afraid, but know that God is working out His plan and He is King. God displays His extraordinary grace through the lives of ordinary and often very messed up people. And He just might be doing the same through you.
Have a joy-filled Mother’s Day.
Click on the play button below or subscribe to our iTunes podcast channel to hear my full message from Matthew 1.1-16; 11:28-30 (“Everyday Moms in a Superwoman World”), delivered on Sunday morning, May, 10, 2015 at North Park Baptist Church of Grand Rapids.
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Liberty or License?
Right = Wrong? Wrong = Right?
We’ve opened the proverbial “can of worms.” Yet we believe it’s a really important “can” that must be opened and understood in light of the Gospel. Are you ready to dig in?
Our culture is filled with a multiplicity of messages about morality and ethics. Throughout social media, TV, movies, and music, it’s easy to hear all sorts of propaganda about recreational drug use, alcohol, sexual experimentation, and of course, how we MUST watch the next season of [you name it]. But what does God have to say to His people about these moral and ethical issues?
Here at North Park Baptist Church, where I serve as lead pastor, we’re wrapping up 5-part study (a Sunday evening series, aside from tomorrow’s morning message) that is geared toward answering questions like:
- “Can a person who knows and loves Jesus Christ drink alcohol with a clear conscience?”
- “Why do some Christians have different standards about what TV shows or movies they watch? Is that okay?”
- “Are there “gray areas” of personal conviction or is everything clear-cut, black and white?”
- “I understand that we can’t add anything to the Gospel of Christ to be saved, but what about after you’re already saved? Aren’t we required to do some things?”
Our series on these important questions dove-tails with the following proposed amendment to our church constitution, relating to “Position Clarifications,” on which we plan to vote tomorrow evening (4/26/2015):
Christian Liberty and Ethics: We believe humankind was created with the primary purpose of glorifying God and enjoying Him forever, through demonstrating love for Him in worshipful obedience and showing His love for others by serving on the mission of Christ’s Gospel (Matt. 5:43-48; 22:37-40; 28:19-20; John 1:18; 20:21; Eph. 1:5-6, 12, 14). In light of our purpose, we believe the deliberate misuse or abuse of food, drugs, and alcohol (e.g. gluttony, intoxication, etc.) violates the Holy Spirit’s indwelling of a believer in Jesus Christ and is contrary to God’s will for His people (Prov. 20:1; 23:20-21, 29-35; 31:4-6; Rom. 13:14; 1 Cor. 3:16-17; 10:31; Gal. 5:16-26; Eph. 5:15-21). We recognize the personal liberty of conscience enjoyed by followers of Christ to develop personal standards under the guidance of the Holy Spirit (Rom. 14:1-23; 1 Cor. 6:12). Yet we also teach that our love for the brethren reminds us to take care with our liberty regarding areas where no clear scriptural command is present (Rom. 15:1-2; 1 Cor. 8:1-9:27; 10:23-33).
This amendment is also in conjunction with additional position statements pertaining to the sanctity of human life, as well as marriage and sexuality. Go here to access messages and materials pertaining to the topic of marriage and sexuality: https://www.graceexposed.org/2014/11/17/love-in-design/
Listen to the full audio messages below by simply clicking on the play button below or by subscribing to our iTunes podcast. These messages were originally delivered at North Park Baptist Church of Grand Rapids, MI,
Part 1 – Pastor John Nixon: “Grace Both Ways” (Gal. 5:1-13) on Sunday evening, March 22nd, 2015.
Part 2 – Pastor Michael Breznau: “Intoxication: Good and Bad?” (1 Cor. 8:1-13; 10:23-33; Eph. 5:15-21), Sunday evening, March 29th, 2015.
Part 3 – Pastor Michael Breznau: “Greed, Gluttony, and the Gospel of God” (1 Tim. 4:3-5; 6:6-19, and selected passages), Sunday evening, April 12th, 2015.
Part 4 – Q & A – Panel Discussion with Michael Breznau, John Nixon, and Keith DeBoer (audio not listed), April 19th, 2015.
Part 5 – Pastor Michael Breznau “Freight-Train Flesh and Sticks on the Tracks” (Col. 2:16-3:5), Sunday morning, April 26th, 2015.
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The Cup of Death
One of my “old favorite” movies is geared around the search for the cup from which Jesus drank at the Last Supper, some call this cup the Holy Grail.
And why in this film are the Nazis, a medieval-oriented religious group, and Indiana Jones on a mad-dash against each other to find Christ’s sacred cup? Because they believe anyone who drinks of it will have eternal life – but they are not talking about eternal life as a new and forever relationship with God, as the Bible defines it. No, they think it is like the so-called “Fountain of Youth” that will give them life forever, immortality right now, and invincibility (which, of course was very important to the Nazi general). Now all that is a silly twisting in order to make a Hollywood blockbuster film…
But what was the cup Jesus spoke of? Not the actual cup He drank from at the Last Supper, but the cup Jesus spoke of when He expressed His desire to let “this cup” pass by Him, meaning that He longed to not drink of it? Listen to how His prayer to the Father is recorded in the synoptic Gospels: (taken from the Garden of Gethsemane)
Matthew 26:39, “And He went a little beyond them, and fell on His face and prayed, saying, “My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; yet not as I will, but as You will.”
Mark 14:36, “And He was saying, “Abba! Father! All things are possible for You; remove this cup from Me; yet not what I will, but what You will.”
Luke 22:42, “Father, if You are willing, remove this cup from Me; yet not My will, but Yours be done.”
John 18:11, “So Jesus said to Peter, “Put the sword into the sheath; the cup which the Father has given Me, shall I not drink it?” Thus pointing to Christ’s focus on perfectly fulfilling the Father’s plan.
The Cup Jesus Drank…
So what was this cup, what was in this “cup” that Jesus Christ agonized over it so deeply? What is the meaning behind this metaphor?
Throughout the Old Testament there are references to the “cup of God’s wrath” being poured out in judgment on the unrighteous or even that the unrighteous would be forced to drink from this cup (Psa. 75:8; Isa. 51:17, 22; Jer. 25:15-29; Ezek. 23:31-34; Hab. 2:15-17). Continuing in the New Testament, the book of the Revelation talks about the cup of God’s wrath being poured out in judgment (14:10; 16:19; 18:6-8).
Specifically to the cup Jesus willingly drank from until it was empty, He would take upon Himself all the just and holy wrath of God against sin, in submission to the Father’s will and in love to save condemned sinners (cf. John 3:16-19; Luke 19:10; Matt. 18:11).
Yet this cup signified more than just His physical death. Jesus would not only take upon His body the full wrath and opposition of God against sin through every lash from the cat-of-nine-tails whip, every nail driven into His hands, each thorn that lacerated His head, and each agonizing, gasping breath on the cross as he suffocated under his own weight…
But also, the penultimate sacrifice in drinking this cup was the moment in time when God the Father turned His face away from His Son in judicial separation of relationship. God the Father could not look upon sin and therefore turned His countenance away from God the Son, “who became sin, who knew no sin, so that we could become the righteousness of God in Him” (2 Cor. 5:21).
In this agonizing moment, Jesus, the Son, who eternally dwells in perfect oneness and communion with God the Father,“cried out in a loud voice, Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani? (My God, My God, why have you forsaken Me? (Matthew 27:46; cf. Mark 15:34; Psa 22:1).”
As Louis Barbieri wrote, “Jesus sensed a separation from the Father He had never known, for in becoming sin the Father had to turn judicially from His Son (Rom. 3:25-26).” (TBKC, pg. 89)
For the first and only moment in time, Christ called out to the Father and there was silence. This was the cup of death – complete death. To be torn – even for just a brief moment in time – from the perfect love-relationship – seems unthinkable yet it is unmistakable.[1] Such was the death Christ endured.
Why was it necessary for Jesus Christ to go through this physical and spiritual death? Because Christ’s physical death on the cross would alone not be enough to erase the sin-debt resting upon all of mankind. Christ’s death had to be total – as the One who would drink all of God’s wrath for us and for our salvation.[2]
And so a hymn-writer captures the scene:
“…How great the pain of searing loss, the Father turns His face away…as wounds which mar the Chosen One bring many sons to glory.” (from How deep the Father’s Love for Us)
First Adam: Death
In Genesis 3:1-7, Adam and Eve rebelled against God and believed the word of Satan, that serpent of old, rather than the word of God. Although God said, on the day in which they ate of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, they would “surely die” (Gen. 2:17). Satan, sneered, “surely you will not die…” And so the husband and wife sinned in unbelief. They bit into the forbidden fruit and pitted themselves against the will of God.
Adam’s body remained yet strong, but he knew true death had already come.
Life as it was meant to be lived is only found in a personal love-relationship with the Life-Giver. But now Adam and Eve lived separation, alienation, and condemnation from the One who gave them life.
And so God the Creator turned His face…In agony, He drove out the progenitors of the human race (Gen. 3:23-24).
But God was still rich in grace.
Second Adam: Death to Life
As Jesus drank the entire cup of God’s holy and just wrath against sin, He, in turn, was offering the cup of salvation in the New Covenant, which is in His blood (Luke 22:14-23). All the justice and righteousness of God was satisfied in the sacrifice of Jesus Christ (Rom. 3:24-25; Rom. 5:6-11).
So the apostle Paul wrote in His letter to the Romans:
“For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will hardly die for a righteous man; though perhaps for the good man someone would dare even to die. But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, have now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him. For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life.” (Romans 5:6-10)
So through Christ’s complete death we may receive complete life in Him. Christ’s death was the pathway to life.
Suddenly the moment of agony and silence is complete. The cup of death and wrath and judgment is empty. Jesus the Son cries out with a loud voice, “Father, into Your hands I commit my Spirit.” (Luke 23:46)
And so Christ can proclaim in His last breath, “It is finished.”
Paid in full.
Sacrifice complete. (John 19:30)
Have you received the salvation from the cup of death, freely offered in the One who died for you and me?
[Scroll down and click on the play button to listen to the audio message from our Good Friday service at North Park Baptist Church. (Begins with a scripture reading from John 19)]
FOOTNOTES (For the extra curious):
[1] We want to be very careful in interpreting the meaning and full extent of Christ’s death, so that in our zeal uncover rich truth we do not do violence against essential Trinitarian theology. John Piper provides some helpful restraints in understanding the full death Christ endured: “The forsakenness cannot mean, for example, that the eternal communion between the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit was broken. God could not cease to be triune. Neither could it mean that the Father ceased to love the Son: especially not here, and not now, when the Son was offering the greatest tribute of filial piety that the Father had ever received. Nor again could it mean that the Holy Spirit had ceased to minister to the Son. He had come down upon him at his baptism not merely for one fleeting moment, but to remain on him (John 1:32), and he would be there to the last as the eternal Spirit through whom the Son offered himself to God (Hebrews 9:14). And finally, the words are not a cry of despair. Despair would have been sin. Even in the darkness God was, “My God,” and though there was no sign of him, and though the pain obscured the promises, somewhere in the depths of his soul there remained the assurance that God was holding him. What was true of Abraham was truer still of Jesus: Against all hope, he in hope believed (Romans 4:18). . . .
…Yet, with all these qualifiers, this was a real forsaking. Jesus did not merely feel forsaken. He was forsaken; and not only by his disciples, but by God himself. It was the Father who had delivered him up to Judas, to the Jews, to Pilate, and finally to the cross itself. And now, when he had cried, God had closed his ears….” From http://www.desiringgod.org/articles/why-have-you-forsaken-me
[2] One of my seminary professors, the late Dr. J. Dwight Pentecost delineated this further during class discussion: “The consequence of sin is spiritual death. The One assuming the obligation to pay this debt had to pay it to the full. Christ could not save us by being simply crucified to the Cross. His physical death would have only been a token payment. The indebtedness would not have been canceled. . . . The separation of the Son was an eternal separation of the Father – not related to time, but related to kind. This was the separation of an eternal One within the realm of an instance in time. In the Incarnation, Christ did not give up His glory or lay aside His deity. But His glory was veiled. The veil in the Temple was not to keep man out of the Temple, but to allow a holy God to dwell amongst the people without destroying them with His searing presence. By this [Christ’s complete sacrificial death] we are as acceptable to God as His Son is. God could impute and impart the righteousness of Christ…” (from BE446, Dallas Theological Seminary). In other words, because Christ is eternal, this momentary “separation” (though I do not mean a division of the perfect Trinitarian communion) paid the debt of our eternal separation from God.
P.S. Click on the play button below or subscribe to our iTunes podcast channel to hear a Scripture reading from John 19 and my devotional message (“The Cup of Death”), delivered on Friday evening, April 3rd, 2015 at North Park Baptist Church of Grand Rapids.
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No Longer Indestructible
Tears welled up in my eyes. Fear raced across my mind. Anxiety tightened my heart. I never thought it would come to this. Not at thirty-one years of age. Not now… not ever! Never did I dream I’d be pushed along in a wheelchair into the triage unit of a large ER department… in order to evaluate ongoing chest pain that had bothered me for more than four weeks.
The eerie chimes of a dozen heart and respiratory monitors echoed through the hallway as the attendant quickly wheeled me into a room. I could hear Stephanie’s footsteps quietly shuffling along behind me. As they eased me onto a stretcher and began taping me up with wires for the EKG test, I glanced at my wife’s worried countenance. Her lovely eyes were overwhelmed with distress.
My mind was screaming, “Why me? Why now? I need to be the strong, indestructible Michael I’ve always been… my wife and children and church are depending on me! Why is this happening to me now, God?!”
Charging the Mountain
Life has always been my mountain to climb, my hill to charge. My mom still jokes around about how I was ready to take over the world as soon as I grew out of my crib. Apparently you can be a junior Napoléon in diapers, too, because they never seemed to slow me down.
When I was six or seven years old, I built a small wooden, foam-board plane in my parent’s basement (with about 2 boxes of 10-penny nails). I then secretly dragged it up on top of the garage roof and readied it for flight with a neighbor kid. I recall my mom frantically stopping us just before we launched our first “take off.” What a bummer.
However, she didn’t prevent us from crashing my plane to the ground from the utmost heights of our backyard jungle gym. Sheesh… that was sort of hard on my ribcage.
If a tree appeared climbable, it didn’t matter how tall it was – I would race to the highest “safe” branch. And not once but at least three or four times I fell down, limb from limb… without any broken bones.
If I was mountain biking, the most advanced trail was the only viable option for me. If was I running in a race, I wouldn’t be pleased unless I knew I had push past all mental and physical barriers to utilize every ounce of endurance I could muster. When operating my landscape business, maintaining the status quo was also never an option – we had to be the most efficient, professional, and highly skilled company in town.
Ministry Mountain
My inner drive naturally translated over into numerous ministry activities where my mustang approach to projects was happily applauded. Throughout my college and seminary education I always had to strive for an A-grade… in every single class. If I was preaching, witnessing, teaching, or leading music, I was always working toward the never quite attainable goal of perfection and success.
When I met my lovely Stephanie, I wanted our relationship to be done in just the right way, following all the specific rules that had been handed down by a plethora of “this for that” Christian relationship guidebooks.
And, by and large, my life hummed along looking rather extraordinary. My list of achievements continued to grow. Yet, just maybe, my longing for control, which was rooted deep down in my pride, was also beginning to grow. Now, I wasn’t necessarily trying to control other people, I just wanted to know that I was in control of me – my surroundings, circumstances, and success. Oh sure, I would say that my strength was in Christ alone, that He alone saves, and that all I am and ever hope to be is only by His grace.
But we can be so easily fooled by the words that come from our own mouths. We think because we spoke what we know is true to others, that it must also automatically be what we believe and practice as truth. Verbally professing what is true doesn’t always indicate someone is sincerely believing and living in the truth. A pastor can preach true words with passion yet be failing to faithfully live in the truth with conviction.
And for many, it often isn’t a major moral blowout, a crash into financial embezzlement, or a shocking DUI on an expressway. No, it’s the insidious drive toward self-sufficiency and pride that often grows sharp, destructive branches in the hearts of most people – people like me.
Re: Learning
But every once in a while, in the mercy and providence of God, He sees fit to gently but firmly hit me over the head with the proverbial 2 X 4. And ironically, I most often have to relearn the lesson I thought I already learned through a previous season of pain or difficulty. I guess it’s my thick, German-Czechoslovakian skull. Ahem.
…When I returned from a five-week mission trip to India (05’-06’) with a semi-paresis of my upper-superior laryngeal nerve [read the whole story here] – God taught me that His strength is made perfect in my weakness. By His undeserved love, my vocal nerves healed after a gut wrenching, tear-jerking ten months of learning to wait, pray, and trust.
…When our son Hudson nearly died from Pertussis (the “Whooping Cough”) at just three weeks old (read the story here) – God taught me the reality of His presence through the Spirit and His people when I doubted whether He really had a good plan or even saw what we were going through. After five “code blue” sessions and eleven days at the Children’s Medical Center of Dallas, God brought us home and Hudson has been healthier than a horse ever since.
…When Stephanie suffered not just one or two, but five miscarriages we cried ourselves to sleep and prayed through our tears – God taught us that Jesus the Son weeps with us and that He is the Hope for our tears. And still… we wait.
Crawling…
These are just a few of the valleys we’ve journeyed through over nearly the last ten years, but I’m sure you’ve walked through pain and difficulty, too. Maybe you started reading this story because you were looking for answers or comfort for the anxiety or sorrow that’s ripping through your life right now.
Perhaps you lost your job and the mountain of bills is caving in on you. Maybe a terminal illness is eroding the strength from your body or tearing a loved one away from you. Perhaps the stress of an adult child choosing to run from God and straight toward the seduction of sin is squeezing at your throat. Maybe your spouse slammed the door in your face and shouted the word you never thought you would hear: divorce.
And sometimes all we can do is crawl…and wait…and trust…and hope.
But I want to run. I’ve always wanted to charge ahead and deliver solutions to my problems. I want to take the “bull by the horns” and win. I innately want to meet the expectations I have for myself and all the expectations others may have for me, as well. So my natural response to problems or difficulty is to work more, try harder, and probably sleep less.
Now don’t misunderstand me, I believe God wired me with high-octane energy and an inner drive for a reason. A strong work ethic is God-glorifying (2 Thess. 3:10-13). Laboring to provide for your family is a God-given responsibility (1 Tim. 5:8). However, I so easily resort to my control over a problem or issue that I forget about the complete control of He who first gave me life and breath.
You Can Do Nothing
But what must I do when I am longer the superman I thought I was? What will happen when people start to see the cracks and leaks in my pottery shell? When the “indestructible Michael” is no longer so indestructible? These are the questions that coursed through my mind as a nurse strapped on my medical wristband.
I could have resisted the protocols that required me to immediately sit down in a wheelchair. But instead I quietly agreed. I could do nothing but sit…and wait. I was forced to be completely reliant on the medical personnel as they wheeled me back into the Wege Chest Pain Center, here in Grand Rapids.
As they rolled me along toward my room, my eyes filled with tears. Yet then God reminded me of a verse from the very passage I was planning to preach that coming Sunday:
“Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you unless you abide in Me. I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing.” (John 15:4-5)
For at least several months, I had been working more and trying harder to solve problems, resolve challenges, and reconcile issues at home and in ministry. But God in His kindness would not let me just apply the text to others – He wanted me to live His truth right now. Even though I thought I had learned the stupidity and fruitlessness of living out my own self-sufficiency, I realized those sharp, insidious branches were spreading yet again.
I had not been necessarily looking to control others, but I was working like superman to control me – my surroundings, circumstances, and success. Through the noise, I again heard the words, “…apart from Me you can do nothing.” (John 15:5b).
Jesus didn’t say, “Apart from me you can do some things or a few things.” He didn’t say, “I’ll take care of some of the big things while you work on all the little stuff.” Nor did He say, “Do you want to abide in Me? Okay, then work more, try harder, and sleep less – because it’s better to burn out than rust out.”
No, Jesus said that a life that glorifies God is only possible through Him. A life aligned with His purposes only comes by depending completely on His life. A fruit-bearing life is only possible through abiding in Jesus Christ. But how does this work? What does it really mean to “abide” in Christ? Jesus explains:
“Just as the Father has loved Me, I have also loved you; abide in My love. If you keep my commandments, you will abide in My love; just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love.” (John 15:9-10)
Through receiving the life of Christ by grace through faith, we have been brought into a love-relationship through which we can rest in the perfect, loyal, covenant-love of the Savior. And as He abides in the Father’s love, so we abide in His love. Nothing will ever change God’s love for us because we are in union with Christ the Son. Yet in the same way the Son has love for the Father, His love toward us also fills us with love for Him. Our abiding, resting, and remaining in Christ, draws us to respond with believing, loving obedience to His commands. And through our loving obedience to Christ, as we abide in His life and love, the Father is “glorified” – made known and revealed through our lives (John 15:7-8). This is the “fruit” of a life abiding in Jesus Christ.
What is the ultimate result of abiding in Christ? True and lasting joy. Jesus promises:
“These things I have spoken to you so that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be made full.” (John 15:11)
Back to the Noise
Yet somehow I lost view of Him – His sufficient life and love – in the middle of my problems and challenges. I kept pushing and running and working in order to achieve some fruitfulness in ministry and resolution to my current challenges.
When the nurse asked if I could get myself out of the wheelchair and onto the stretcher, I choked out a feeble, “yes,” not because I couldn’t breathe but because God was getting my attention. Even the step onto the stretcher I could not do without Him and His life. How foolish I was to think I could solve all my husband, daddy, and pastor challenges on my own.
Suddenly there was peace. I knew why God had me on this stretcher – I probably wouldn’t have slowed down and shut-up any other way. All the pressing needs of the day that were worrying me just moments before simply vanished from sight.
Through the incessant noise of heart monitors, Christ gripped my heart again with His sustaining life and love.
I’m learning again…that all fruit-bearing, Christ-exalting ministry comes out of an intimate abiding relationship in Jesus Christ.
I’m listening again… to Christ’s words of love and comfort in the middle of my stress.
I’m resting again… in the fact that He is always working and loving even when I’m sleeping.
I’m joyful again… because Jesus, the risen Savior-Messiah-King, graciously got my attention, reminding me that He is always with me and in me, and always completely trustworthy to take care of my problems and difficulties.
After a couple of hours waiting, the physician told us the EKG, blood tests, and chest x-rays showed no signs of heart trouble – I was all clear to return home. But they did say my chest pain might be caused be stress or anxiety, or some infection in my chest wall area. Interesting. Yet Christ’s rest and peace had already arrived before the test results. Through this incident now eight days ago (3-13-15), He got my attention and I knew He already knew how the tests would turn out… either way He would be with me with His unstoppable love and life.
Many stories don’t end this way in our fallen world. But regardless of how your story is unfolding, Jesus Christ is calling you and me to find His life and love sufficient for your life, so that your joy will be full through the pain, issues, or difficulty your facing.
So I’m praying through His vignette in my life that He is made known in power and grace and truth… to you.
UPDATE 3.26.2015: My follow-up visit with our primary care physician went very well yesterday. He confirmed the hospital’s diagnosis that there is, in fact, no indication of cardiac trouble. In his words, “your heart condition looks perfect.” However, elements of stress and anxiety build-up, coupled with some out-of-place joints in my back and ribcage, likely resulted in the chest pain I experienced. On a personal level, I am much relieved by this diagnosis and, interestingly, have had little to no chest pain since my visit to the ER on 3.13.15. So thankful to the Lord…
In God’s Vineyard,
Michael
P.S. Click on the play button below or subscribe to our iTunes podcast channel to hear my full message from John 15:1-27 (“A Life Not Wasted”), delivered on Sunday morning, March, 15, 2015 at North Park Baptist Church of Grand Rapids.
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We Almost Lost Him
This week 6 years ago…
Hudson’s Emergency: Location Children’s Medical Center of Dallas
March 28, 2009 at 2:31pm
The last several days have been a w
hirlwind of activity, stress, and no sleep. This past Monday, Hudson came down with a cough that increasingly worsened over the course of Wednesday and Thursday. We tried several homeopathic methods recommended to us by our midwife and pediatrician, but his situation came to a head at 5:30pm, Thursday night.
Five minutes after I left for evening work at Dallas Bible Church, he fell into a coughing spell and stopped breathing altogether. Stephanie quickly tried to help him cough it up, but then decided to call 911. Through the instruction of the 911 attendant, Stephanie successfully resuscitated him after 4 attempts…and approximately 1 minute. His body had turned very blue and completely limp during this time.Moments later, the EMS team arrived and rushed Stephanie and Hudson to the Children’s Medical Center of Dallas. I got a quick call from Stephanie and immediately left work and headed to the hospital. Between 6:30-10:00pm they performed several tests on him, included a chest x-ray, spinal tap, etc…
After receiving oxygen help, he started to regain his color and strength. However, by this time he had lost 1.5 pounds and was severely dehydrated. At first his chest x-ray showed evidence of neo-natal pneumonia, but now the official diagnosis is “pertussis.” This is more practically known as the Whooping cough.
Around 3:00am he had another episode and went “code blue.” Praise be to the Lord, he recovered fine and now is resting well. To say the least, we need your prayers. Many, many wonderful, loving people have blessed us with their visits and prayers and we are so grateful to the Lord for their care. The doctor said that he has never seen I child with this leave earlier than 4 days or later than 34 days. So, it may be awhile. He has to be able to go 12 hours without artificial oxygen before he can leave.
We do ask for your prayers during this time. Please pray that Hudson will recover thoroughly and quickly, without any lasting side effects. Also please pray for my dear Stephanie, that she would also heal from her sickness (she also has the whooping cough). Please pray also that I will be able to balance my school work (that is rapidly piling up), work, and family.
Thank you for your prayers and encouragement. We love you all!
In Christ Alone,
Michael
Our lil’ Hudson…
“When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flame will not set you ablaze. For I am the Lord, your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior. ~ Isaiah 43:2-3
Finally Home…
April 6, 2009 at 3:58pm
Dear Family and Friends,After more than 10 days of testing, “code-blue” moments, medication, rest, and recovery, we are finally and safely home. For both Stephanie and I, there were times of great fear and anxiety over our little son’s condition, but the Lord graciously gave us peace and comfort in our times of need. Almost every day we were pleasantly surprised by visiting guests who offered their prayers and encouragement. We are so very grateful for each dear one who stopped by during this ordeal. We cannot thank you enough for your smiles, care packages, and thoughtful words that ministered to our hearts during this time.
Each card, balloon, email note, flower, and gift uplifted our hearts and brought joy to our long days. Over the past ten days we have felt overwhelmed by the love of Christ more than ever before. Thank you all for your constant prayers. We are so thankful to the Lord for each one of you.
Children’s Medical Center of Dallas did an excellent job treating Hudson and their conscientious care was greatly appreciated. Hudson is doing much better now, and although he still has a mild cough, the frequency of his struggles has significantly decreased. He is VERY hungry all the time, and this morning he let Mommy and Daddy know this dozens of times through the effective use of his strong lungs and vocal chords.
He is now resting peacefully at home with Stephanie and I. What relief we find in simply seeing him rest soundly with good color in his little, pudgy cheeks. Please continue to pray that he completely recovers from pertussis and is able to regain the weight he lost over the past two weeks. Also, please continue praying for Stephanie’s cough as well. She suffered some bruising of ribs due to her coughing and this pain is still hard to bear. For us as a family, please pray that the Father continues to physically recover us, and unite and ground us in the love of His Son, Jesus Christ. Also, the pressure of finishing this semester of seminary will be particularly heavy on my shoulders over the next four weeks, as I try to desperately catch up with all the assignments – I would covet your prayers in this regard.
Thank you for your loving support, prayers, and thoughtful exhortations. We are sincerely grateful for all of you and pray that the Lord blesses you with His peace and grace.
“I will lift up my eyes to the mountains; From where shall my help come? My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth. He will not allow your foot to slip; He who keeps you will not slumber. Behold, He who keeps Israel will neither slumber nor sleep. The Lord is your keeper; the Lord is your shade on your right hand. The sun will not smite you by day, nor the moon by night. The Lord will protect you from all evil; He will keep your soul. The Lord will guard your going out and your coming in from this time forth and forever.” ~ Psalm 121
In Christ Alone,
Michael Breznau
March 18th, 2015
And now our dear Hudson is 6 years old! He is a vibrant follower of Jesus Christ and loves to share the Good News to everyone he meets. His eyes sparkle with creativity and wit. His heart brims over with joy. And his life is marked by divine grace.
Hudson, we love you so very much. Thank you for reminding us of God’s grace and truth. You are the most special and wonderful boy in all the world!
~ Mommy and Papa
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It’s Still Raining
From this week 8 years ago….
Originally written on the evening of March 16th, 2007
Rain, rain falling down…continuously cascading out of the atmospheric ceiling of gray clouds. Might I say miserable, dismal weather? Weather that makes one perhaps bored, lonely, or depressed?
As I looked out of my apartment window early this afternoon I noticed the gray wisps that had been hanging over the Dallas area for the last four days had finally given up there holding pattern and had decided to let loose with a good downpour. As I peered out through the glass and storm screen, I was inspired to tell you something that the Lord had placed on my heart quite a while ago, but maybe out of fear, or simply the lack of time, I neglected to do so.
But now as I sit here done with most of my seminary assignments (for now) at quarter past ten, and it’s still raining, the Lord has again prompted me to tell you about a time in my life when it kept raining, in fact it seemed to rain for more than six months…
At the Top of My Lungs
At five years old I can remember loving to sing, and when I mean love, I mean everyday at the top of my lungs. Of course five year olds can’t sing very well, but I sure tried, in fact there’s even evidence through the witness of my mother that I tried when I was in her womb, (as attested by all the kicking and punching going on in her stomach during the song service at church). As I grew older I continued singing. I sang to my piano teacher as I pounded out my lessons, I joined the kid’s choir at church, and I screamed around the house with a five gallon bucket used as a percussion instrument, vocally reverberating something that referenced the mystery of the Trinity.
As I grew into my teen years my love for the Lord deepened, and my desire to sing and worship Him through instrumental song only grew. At fifteen years old, I remember when our music pastor asked me to sing a solo…yikes; I still can’t believe they let me do it at the green age of fifteen. But, as nervous as I was, I loved it…I just knew this is what I wanted to spend the rest of my life doing.
The church we attended at that time gave me many wonderful opportunities to use my gifts to glorify God. I began not only playing the trumpet in their small orchestra ensemble, but also leading worship on Wednesday nights, and then even on Sunday mornings. I participated in choirs, more solos, and other community concerts, and God was blessing my ministry! Through a variety of circumstances I ended up leaving that church when I was twenty, but soon God opened other doors through which I could minister in music. I returned once more to leading worship at a couple small churches, along with other various music opportunities in the Eternal Vision program, and other various music classes etc…
My only point in saying all these things up to this point is not to blab about my musical background, but simply to share with you how large a place music has always had in my life.
To me worshiping God and music were synonymous and inseparable. How little I knew…
In the fall of 2005 the Lord clearly directed me to go on a missions trip to the faraway land of India. And, what was supposed to be a three week trip ended up being a great five-week “baptism” into real life ministry. I had a wonderful, awesome time. I saw God work in so many powerful ways, to think about it still blows my mind. But this trip was not without difficulty.
During one of the largest crusades we were involved in, we went forward to sing a few songs…no big deal I thought. Me as the “music guy” had prepared a few selections and I thought we could do a decent job. However as we were starting to sing the first song, I noticed something didn’t seem quite right with my voice. I deduced it to be merely some slight association with the congestion I was dealing with at the time, and thought it would eventually return back to normal. The only problem is that it only grew worse. But you know me, I didn’t completely lose my voice so why not keep going? So that is just what I did. I actually preached an hour long message right after we finished that series of songs…
As my time in India drew to a close, the problem with my voice started to bother me more, but at the time I was sick with so many other ailments, I figured things would heal up when I got back to home turf…
“and it’s still raining…”
I was quite green around the gills when I finally stepped foot on American soil, but within a few weeks of having my mom’s great health food and a heavy dose of vitamins everyday, I started feeling well again. The only not so funny thing was ahem…was my voice was in really bad shape. I couldn’t figure it out. It didn’t matter what vocal exercises I tried to do, it simply would not get any better. My loss of voice was right in the pivotal, power center of my range…it would go from a grating sound to sometimes completely nothing. You may laugh, but I certainly wasn’t.
After three months of wondering, I finally decided to get back with my voice teacher and see what he had to say. After hearing me try to sing a little bit he recommended that I go to a specialty clinic at the University of Michigan. Now, you have to realize that I had now gone more than three months without being able to sing (at least like I used too)…My heart was starting to really sink.
“and it’s still raining…”
As I made my way to this vocal clinic for a diagnostic exam, I couldn’t help but be filled with despair. Why would God send me to India, and then take away the gift that I was so sure he had given me? Why does it have to be my voice? “God, why does it have to be me?” As the doctor showed me the video from the stroboscope he had put down my throat and said, “Well Michael, what you have is a laryngeal asymmetry caused by the apparent viral damage of your upper superior laryngeal nerve…in other words a semi-paresis of your left vocal fold”…I don’t remember crying outwardly, but if I wasn’t, I certainly was weeping on the inside.
Get out of the Way
It didn’t get any better either, the doctor then graciously said that there was NOTHING he could do about it accept to wait maybe a year or so to see if it would clear up. Then he recommended that I start vocal therapy to learn how to best utilize what I did have. Hmmm…what did I have anyway? The therapy proved to be insightful, but also very expensive, something I’m not always akin to, especially when it comes to giving it to hospital bills.
But I must say one thing they did tell me in therapy really jumped out at me and hit me right across the forehead…it was from Mr. Leslie Guinn (I retired, but still famous classical singer), he said, “Michael, if I can get you out of the way of your voice, you then will be able to actually use it.”
Now, this may sound really crazy to some of you who are not singers, but to me it not only applied to my voice, but to everything God was trying to teach me. You see, for so long I was doing what I thought was my gift. I was controlling and guiding, but now it seemed God was desiring something very different from me. He wasn’t desiring for me to do anything for Him, but instead He wanted me give Him control and stop trying to hold on….even to the things I held most dear, even my voice.
I would say, “Lord, you know all I want to do is worship you with my voice, why would take this away!! God, I would rather have my right arm completely cut off than lose my ability to worship You!” But…
“It’s still raining…”
“Lord, why me? Why now?” And then through my tears I would hear my Lord whisper through His Word, “Michael I want your heart, all of your heart”…He told me that I had been trying to doing all these things for Him, as if I had something good to bring to the altar, when in actuality the things I thought I had to bring to the altar to please Him were simply from Him in the first place. All my righteousness was seen as filthy rags…And it didn’t matter to God, He simply wants to know me. Really?
“I barely hear…You whisper through the rain…I’m with you”
Through spring and on into mid-summer I continued to go to the vocal therapy sessions down at U of M, and then cry at least part if not all the way home during the hour and fifteen minute drive…I was progressing, so they said, but the problem was still there. But, you know what? As little as I could sing, I was learning to wait at the throne of grace and talk with God, worship God and find joy in His presence no matter how I felt physically.
I then remember quite distinctly driving home from a business meeting and attempting to break into a song of joy for the Lord’s blessing and finding my voice still not there…
I banged my hands against the steering wheel in frustration more with myself than anything else, tears began to roll down my face. I again asked Jesus the “why” question, but this time something maybe me stop short. With my eyelids wiping back and forth the rain in my eyes…I whimpered, “Lord, I love you, and if I am never able to sing the way I used to ever again…Praise to You. And, if you do restore my voice, it is yours…Praise to You. I will only look to glorify You in everything that I say, sing, and do from now on….
“I’ll raise my hands, and praise the God who gives, and takes away…”
It was late August or early September when I noticed that I could once again seem to be able to do a little bit more with my voice here and there. My voice teacher also commented on it and said that he felt I could begin working on some real songs again, not just vocal exercises. Boy, was that a relief… However, I still knew that my singing ability was still limited, so I simply kept trusting. It was this matter of trusting that allowed me to release all the tension, worry and anxiety to the Lord.
God once again starting opening doors through which I could minister in music, and as I prepared, I again found my voice feeling a little stronger. It was as though God was giving me just enough grace for each opportunity…the first solo I sang coming back was “His strength is Perfect”…But, I really shouldn’t say “coming back,” I still feel that this voice that I do have is not what it used to be, it is what God wants it to be, and I am totally dependent on Christ for each situation.
I knew that according to the doctor my “paresis” was not too much different than it was in May, but as the Christmas season rolled around I felt the Lord giving me direction to be involved in whatever God-glorifying music opportunities that might arise. So trusting Him, I ended up participating in a whole myriad of events over the holiday season…Praise to Him.
And that was when I noticed it wasn’t raining anymore. The Lord had taken my heart and I had no desire of retrieving it. He was not only my Savior, but now my Lord, my God and my King. He was gracious to restore my voice in the way in which He chose and I can honestly say that God did something in my heart and life that could only be done through such an experience as this. Just a couple of weeks ago when I returned home for spring break, I went to the last scheduled session at U of M for a final check by the doctor and to my pleasant and truly complete surprise he said, “You know what Michael? If I had not known of your previous condition and had not been looking really hard for the asymmetry of your vocal mechanism, I would not have even noticed that you still have just a slight problem. It’s barely even there now Michael” ….Praise to God! Oh, Praise to You my King. And this time I didn’t hold my feelings inside…
I hope and pray that this little yet sort of long story from my life has made known to you in a more evident way the true character of our loving, holy and sovereign God. Whatever you are going through right now…it may be raining and thundering, but know that He is with you and He will never leave you or forsake you. He is working in your life for His glory to be known and His power to be shown to not only you, but to as many as will listen to you share.
“But I am afflicted and in pain; May Your salvation, O God, set me securely on high. I will praise the name of God with song and magnify Him with thanksgiving. And it will please the Lord better than an ox or a young bull with horns and hoofs. The humble have seen it and are glad; You who seek God, let your heart revive. For the Lord hears the needy and does not despise His who are prisoners.” – Psalm 69:29-33
“O God, You have taught me from my youth, and I still declare Your wondrous deeds. And even when I am old and gray, O God, do not forsake me, until I declare Your strength to this generation, Your power to all who are to come, For your righteousness, O God, reaches to the heavens, You who have done great things; O God, who is like You? You who have shown me many troubles and distresses will revive me again, and will bring me up again from the depths of the earth. May You increase my greatness and turn to comfort me.” – Psalm 71:17-24
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding, but in all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your paths straight.” (Proverbs 3:5-6)
Lyrics from headings borrowed from Mark Hall’s song “Praise You In this Storm” (Casting Crowns):
In Christ Alone,
Michael Breznau
…It stopped raining.
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God’s Not Changing (even though our clocks are)
Our great and almighty God is unchanging in character, power, and authority (cf. Mal. 3:6). He is steadfast in His loyal, covenant-love (Psa. 100:5; 117:2; Lam. 3:22-24). Our Lord is immovable in His precepts. What He has established will not be shaken. His Word will endure forever (Isa. 40:8; 1 Peter 1:25). His sovereign plan for His Church will never be thwarted.
And we, the adopted heirs according to the riches of His grace in Christ Jesus, can trust Him today. When everything is being shaken around us in our culture, country, and world economics, you and I can step forward with hope and courage because we know the almighty, unchangeable God is with us – surrounding us wherever we go.
In Psalm 125:1-2, a song of ascents, we find beautiful imagery from ancient Jerusalem that captures this idea:
“Those who trust in the LORD are as Mount Zion, which cannot be moved but abides forever. As the mountains surround Jerusalem, so the LORD surrounds His people, from this time forth and forever.”
A historical view of Jerusalem…
So when the news media inundates us with uncertainties, when family issues don’t resolve, when job struggles continue, when financial needs don’t disappear, when fear starts to rise: trust in the Lord who is always with you, surrounding you with His unstoppable love and care and truth.
As I was writing this morning, my 3-year-old daughter, Everlynn, crawled up on my lap, looked up into my eyes with a curious smile, and asked, “What is surrounding?…what does surrounding mean, Papa?” (She had apparently heard me reading aloud to Hudson a few moments before). Rather than launch into an etymological refrain from Webster’s dictionary, I simply gave her a big hug and said, “This is what surrounding means, Everlynn, my arms are surrounding you.” Her eyes sparkled with understanding. She knew what Papa’s arms around her meant: protection, care, love, and provision.
Maybe you need to remember today that God is – right now – surrounding you. He is holding you with arms of love that will never grow tired. His opinion of you will never change because His opinion about His Son will never change, and you are in the Son (see Ephesians 1:3-14). Comfort and refuge are found in the One who is always with His people, from today and on into eternity. He will never change. You can count on it.
Yet the irony of this weekend is that our clocks have to change. Well, I suppose we could rebel against whoever makes these Daylight Savings decisions, but what’s one person against 300 million? Yeah, that’s what I thought, too. So I’ll remember that God and His divine agenda will never change. I’ll remember there will one day be no longer any need for Daylight Savings clock changes, because:
“…there will no longer be any night; and they will not have need of the light of a lamp nor the light of the sun, because the Lord God will illumine them; they [we] will reign forever and ever” (Revelation 22:5).
Alas, I will spring my clocks forward before I hit the sack tonight. Ha! I’m certain that our ABFs and other classes at North Park Baptist Church will have gallons of hot coffee available “bright and early” to help soften the internal adjustment. See you tomorrow morning!
